Taking care of your heart is vital to your overall health. At Sharp Memorial Hospital, an expert team of cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, electrophysiologists and nurse practitioners provides families in San Diego with comprehensive heart and vascular care.
Anthony Choi, MD, a cardiologist at Sharp Memorial, is passionate about providing innovative solutions for patients with irregular heartbeats caused by atrial fibrillation (AFib). This common heart condition leads to approximately 158,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.
“It was an honor and privilege to treat active-duty service members and their families throughout the U.S. and Pacific Rim while serving in the Navy for 15 years,” says Dr. Choi.
“I bring that same commitment to providing the highest quality of care to my civilian practice, ensuring that each individual with AFib receives the care they deserve to lead a healthy and fulfilling life.”
The irregular electrical signals in AFib disrupt the coordinated rhythm of the heart’s chambers. This can lead to poor blood flow and increased risk of stroke, heart failure and other complications.
Factors contributing to AFib include high blood pressure, heart disease, stress, excessive alcohol or caffeine intake, and underlying health conditions. Dr. Choi says the most common modifiable risk factors are weight, high blood pressure and lack of regular exercise.
Traditional treatment options for AFib include medications to control the heart rate and rhythm, blood thinners to reduce the risk of stroke, and electrical cardioversion to reset the heart’s rhythm.
When AFib becomes chronic or more frequent, catheter ablation — a minimally invasive procedure used to treat abnormal heartbeats — may be used. Ablations can use heat or cold to “scar” the problematic heart tissue that is sending the irregular signals.
Pulse Field Ablation (PFA) is an emerging treatment option that offers a promising alternative to traditional methods for managing AFib. With PFA, electrical impulses neutralize the targeted heart tissue, which can reduce procedure time and risk of damage to surrounding tissues, thereby reducing overall complications.
Dr. Choi and his colleagues at Sharp Memorial Hospital are pleased to incorporate this technology into their treatment options for AFib.
Join Dr. Choi and other cardiovascular specialists at Sharp HealthCare for a free webinar on Thursday, March 13, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., to learn more about AFib. They will discuss symptoms, diagnosis and advanced treatment options at Sharp.
Learn more at: sharp.com/afib.
