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HOUSTON - A local woman wants to ensure women pay attention to their bodies and take any unexpected symptoms seriously. She's only in her 30's and was diagnosed with a condition that typically affects people older than 70. She shares her eye-opening testimony in hopes of helping others realize that heart problems can affect anyone.
It was just a typical day at work for Alexandria or Alex Smith at HCA Houston Healthcare Southeast.
"I was walking to go talk to a co-worker, and the next thing I knew, I blacked out! I was on the ground, and when I came to, our Chief Medical Officer at the time was leaning over me, and he was calling for a rapid response. That's when I was seen by our ED (emergency department) for the first time," says Alex.
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Alex didn't have to go far to get help since she was at HCA! She ended up wearing a heart monitor for a month to try to help doctors figure out why she had this episode. On day 26, it happened again.
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Houston woman diagnosed with rarely discussed condition
A local woman in her 30s shares her story of being diagnosed with a condition typically seen in those over 70, emphasizing the importance of taking heart symptoms seriously for all ages.
"I had my second seizure, and they found out that, due to the heart monitor capturing my heartbeat, it was actually not a seizure. My heart was stopping for six seconds in a row concurrently, and that was causing my body to seize," explains Alex. Her heart was actually stopping. "When she had that event, we were able to look back at that monitor, and we saw a very significant pause in her heart rate, and when I saw that very significant pause, I called Dr. Cuellar, and he took over," says Dr. Omar Jeroudi, an Interventional Cardiologist with HCA Houston Healthcare Southeast.
Alex was diagnosed with something rarely talked about, called sick sinus syndrome.
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"There's an electrical part of the heart that is called sinus node, that's where it comes from, so this is a sinus node dysfunction, part of that big umbrella called sdick sinus syndrome. So, it's called sinus because of that part of the heart," states Dr. Jose Cuellar Silva, who is the Cardiac Electrophysiologist at HCA Houston Healthcare Southeast, Alex was referred to.
Alex feels lucky she was at work when the episodes happened, or it could've been catastrophic!
"The pauses are long enough that you fall. Depending on where you are, they can be a life-threatening situation if you are driving or walking and then you get run over by a car. That's the main problem that you faint, and that is totally unpredictable," says Dr. Cuellar Silva.
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Alex decided her best option was to undergo a procedure to get a pacemaker. It has allowed her to get back to her busy life as a loving mom. She's amazed at how much more energy she has, now that her heart is in the correct rhythm.
"I feel hopeful, now I have that guarantee that my heart is going to be strong. My heart is going to not fail me, thanks to the doctors and my team. With my pacemaker, I am able to live a full life! I'm able to do the things that I might not have been able to do before. I'm able to ride rollercoasters. I can go on airplanes. I can do all the things that a normal 32-year-old can do," says a smiling Alex.