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The heart’s complex electrical system usually keeps a steady beat. But sometimes that system malfunctions, leading to a range of heart rhythm disorders, or arrhythmias. These conditions can cause symptoms like palpitations, dizziness, fatigue, and even sudden cardiac arrest. The most common arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation (AFib), affects millions of Americans and is a leading cause of hospitalizations, disability, and death. As our population continues to age, the number of people diagnosed with AFib is expected to increase to more than 12 million by 2030.
Electrophysiology, a specialized branch of cardiology, offers solutions to people struggling with arrhythmias. AHN’s nationally recognized cardiac electrophysiology (EP) program builds on a legacy of excellence and innovation in cardiovascular care at AHN Allegheny General Hospital and the AHN Cardiovascular Institute. Led by Amit Thosani, MD, the AHN Division of Electrophysiology has a world-class clinical research team, delivers the most advanced heart rhythm diagnosis and treatments, and currently participates in more than 10 high-impact, global clinical trials.
To help continue expanding AHN’s EP program, the Mario Lemieux Foundation and Highmark Health made a joint commitment of $5 million in funding to establish “The Mario Lemieux Center for Heart Rhythm Care.” The following video by Scott Peters, created for the event announcing that funding, includes inspiring patient stories and clinician insights on how the program makes a difference in people’s lives.
Jimmie (patient of AHN Cardiovascular Institute): This had to work. That’s what was going through my mind.
Michael (patient of AHN Cardiovascular Institute): I felt that I was sliding into a dark place in my life.
Alexis (patient of AHN Cardiovascular Institute): I wouldn’t have had surgery. I wouldn’t have had this internal device put in. I don’t know what else would have happened if I didn’t meet him.
Dr. Amit Thosani: What we do matters for patients in a life or death situation. So you have to be on every time. I know that everything is going to happen the right way, in a few seconds — you’re about to watch it.
Dr. Stephen Bailey: AGH has a decades long history of leadership and innovation in terms of advancing cardiovascular techniques and procedures. We couldn’t be more appreciative of the collaboration and the support of the Mario Lemieux Foundation.
Caitlin Phalunas: The 2019 gift was very exciting — we were able to pretty much start our electrophysiology research program with that.
David Holmberg: With this gift, what we’re going to do for the health of the entire region is to build a championship program. And this is just the beginning of the investment.
Dr. Emerson Liu: Electrophysiology is a field that intersects a lot of the patient’s other medical conditions, and the treatments range from medications to procedures to implantable devices.
Tom Grealish: Dr. Thosani and his team have created a culture of teamwork, and it’s not surprising that it relates to us. Our chairman was a team player. He was a team owner. He understands the importance of teams working collaboratively, together.
Jimmie: I met Mario the first time, I talked about having AFib, and I would just like to say thanks to him. Because of his generosity, all of us are going to have better lives.
My PCP found out that there was an irregular heartbeat. The hardest part for me was Jada, because we had just lost my wife, so I’m a single parent, and I did not want to leave her.
Dr. Amit Thosani: Jimmie has done remarkably well after undergoing catheter ablation and really is an example of the impact that we’re fortunate to have for many of our patients in improving their quality of life.
Jimmie: My body is back to being the way it should be, and I plan on being around for a long time.
Dr. Amit Thosani: Alexis had an event that has been really in the public’s eye. Everyone knows what happened to Damar Hamlin, and less than 10% of patients who have a cardiac arrest survive, and Alexis is one of those survival stories.
Alexis: I woke up that day, I was 36 weeks pregnant. I went to school, I was feeling great. Before I knew it, I woke up in Forbes.
The doctors alerted me that I went into cardiac arrest at school. Our school nurse performed CPR and used an AED to bring me back to life. They decided it was time to induce me and bring Dominic. December 15th he came into the world. That’s when Dr. Thosani came in and said we’re going to come up with a plan and then by December 18th I was being discharged thanks to Dr. Thosani. I was a new mom leaving the hospital with a brand new baby. I had him to worry about as well as myself, and Dr. Thosani really helped my family and I feel safe and secure.
Dr. Thosani had us buy an AED for our house, so this is my own personal device.
I keep messing this up. This is real. It’s as real as it gets.
Tom Grealish: Putting this money with Dr. Thosani and his team and AHN is going to help with the recruitment and retention right here in Pittsburgh. They make giving easy.
Caitlin Phalunas: I wouldn’t have come to AGH without it. It really has made it a better place for patients. And for my life. You’re going to make me cry.
Michael: I had always been a high-energy person and all of a sudden, even my grandchildren pointed out, gee buddy, why are you just sitting in a chair? You never sit in a chair. I feel lucky because I’ve gotten to meet this team at the Cardiovascular Institute.
Jimmie: They always say, hey Jimmie, how’s it going, how’s Jada, how’s this, how’s that — it’s more like a family.
Dr. Amit Thosani: The way we care for each other in addition to our patients, the way that we are not satisfied with stagnation — we always want to be better than we were yesterday, delivering the type of care that you’d want for your family members. There’s nothing more important to me than that.
Dr. Amit Thosani is director of Cardiac Electrophysiology for AHN and vice chair for the AHN Cardiovascular Institute. He is also an associate clinical professor at Drexel University School of Medicine. Dr. Thosani specializes in care for patients with heart rhythm disorders. He is an active clinical researcher and is widely published in professional journals.
He earned a medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and completed a residency at Columbia University in New York City. He also completed fellowships in clinical cardiology and clinical cardiac electrophysiology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts.
Dr. Thosani is board-certified in clinical cardiac electrophysiology and cardiovascular disease by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
You can listen to Dr. Thosani discuss cardiac electrophysiology in this episode of AHN MedTalks.
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