New Atrial fibrillation treatment for the most common heart problem

HOUSTON - Here's a real wake-up call about preventative healthcare. Joe Pompa is in his 50s and decided to undergo medical screenings and take his health more seriously after his brother-in-law died early in life. He just went in for a routine colonoscopy but had to reschedule the procedure, after getting diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, well known as AFib. He didn't have any warning signs and was relieved they found it, to help prevent a stroke or even death, which are both threats with untreated AFib. He ended up being one of the first patients to undergo a new treatment for it.

Pompa says there's nowhere he'd rather be than playing with his beloved grandchildren. So, he was concerned when he got diagnosed with atrial fibrillation or AFib during routine screening. "I have a lot of reasons to be alive! I've got my grandkids and of course I have my kids," states Pompa.

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AFib is the most common heart arrythmia, affecting up to six million Americans, but The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predict that number will double in the next five years. "AFib is when some muscle fibers and nerves on the back hole of the top left part chamber produce tiny erratic electrical impulses and puts the heart rhythm in irregular and fast rates," says Dr. Dr. Khash Hematpour, the electrophysiologist who performed Joe Pompa's procedure at Memorial Hermann.

While Pompa didn't have any symptoms that would have warned him he had AFib, that's not the case for everyone.

"Some people will feel a little fluttering of the chest. Some may feel dizziness, shortness of breath and fatigue, and it goes all the way to the other side of the spectrum where people feel severe chest pain, significant heart pounding, and heart racing," explains Dr. Hematpour.

Pompa is relieved there's a new way to treat it at UTHealth and Memorial Hermann, with fewer side effects than ever before. Cold or hot techniques are typically used to treat AFib, but doctors say these ablations can also damage surrounding tissue. While this is still an option, now specialists are using electrical volts.

"So, this new technology is non-thermal technology. It's called PSA, which stands for pulsed-field ablation. It delivers high voltage, ultra-short electrical pulses inside the heart. That forms nanopores in the cell membrane, and then causes the culprit tissue to die and go away," says Dr. Hematpour.

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Pompa was back to work a week later and is feeling better than ever and had few side effects from the procedure. "I feel great. I feel good. You know, as each day goes by, I feel a whole lot better! I'm just thankful for doctors who care and thankful for the technology that's out there and you know and lowering my chances of a stroke. Could have been a whole lot worse," Pompa states.

Instead, he and his doctors caught the problem early and he's able to enjoy life with his loving family. He says he also changed his diet and started exercising more to help lower his cholesterol.

Doctors warn there are certain conditions that can put you at higher risk of AFib, including obesity, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, rheumatic heart disease, sleep apnea, kidney or lung disease, or a family history of AFib. Making lifestyle changes may be able to help prevent AFib, including lowering stress levels, lowering caffeine consumption, and not abusing alcohol.

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