Second Opinion, Expert Heart Care Reclaim Patient's Active Life
Jamie Colby Broghammer begins each day with 40 minutes of yoga and meditation. Normally a way to calm and prepare for the day, her routine proved less than relaxing a couple of years ago, when Colby Broghammer noticed her heartbeat didn’t feel normal. She became concerned and contacted a doctor.
Abnormal Heartbeat, Fluttering Sensation Leads to Afib Diagnosis
“I was diagnosed with premature ventricular contractions,” Colby Broghammer says. Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are heart beats that start in the lower part of the heart, instead of the upper chambers.
“They gave me medication and said the PVCs could get worse,” she continues. “Then I started feeling a different sensation, like a hard butterfly in my chest.”
When this happened, Colby Broghammer sought care again, but she was apprehensive with the treatment plan the cardiologist at another Cedar Rapids clinic gave her. That prompted her to seek a second opinion from St. Luke’s Heart Care Clinic, where she met Electrophysiologist Talha Farid, MD.
“Jamie is a very physically active person; she was having a lot of Afib (irregular heartbeats), which was limiting her activities,” explains Dr. Farid. “She was not able to do what she loved.”
Afib Obliterated After Successful Cardiac Ablation
Dr. Farid suggested a cardiac ablation, a minimally invasive procedure done via catheter. It involves advanced imaging to pinpoint the area of the heart causing the irregular beats. Then, heat or a series of electrical pulses is used to create a tiny scar in the identified area, which eliminates the tissue causing the problem. The procedure is done on an outpatient basis in only a few hours, and patients typically resume normal activities in a few days.
Colby Broghammer chose to go forward with an ablation at St. Luke’s because, she says, “Dr. Farid was the only one who explained what all my options were. He made me feel comfortable with the procedure.”
Dr. Farid says Afib can be a complex disease to manage. While the ideal goal is to eliminate the need for medications, some patients still require them after an ablation. Additionally, he said it’s not uncommon for a patient to require a second ablation a few years later, which was the case for Colby Broghammer. She had a second ablation in July 2024 and is pleased with the outcome.
“I haven’t had any symptoms, and I feel great,” Colby Broghammer says. “I just had a beautiful EKG, and I’m only on one medication now.
“Everything was great at St. Luke’s,” she continued. “Everyone was so good to me. Dr. Farid makes you feel like he’s going to take care of you – you’re not just a ‘tally mark’ on the board.”
When to Take Action for Abnormal Heart Symptoms
Dr. Farid commends Colby Broghammer for talking to her doctor as soon as she felt something was wrong and encourages everyone to be as diligent about their healthcare as she is.
“It’s common for people who have heart palpitations to ignore it,” Dr. Farid says. “They notice something is off, or they don’t feel well. I cannot stress enough how important it is to seek medical attention.”
He adds if someone has chest pain, shortness of breath, a consistently elevated heart rate or feels dizzy, light-headed or poorly, they should call 911 to be taken to the nearest emergency room. He also suggests regular visits with a primary care provider.
“Often, Afib is found incidentally,” Dr. Farid notes. “It’s a good idea to keep up with annual screenings, because a lot of times we see patients after another doctor noticed their heart was out of rhythm during a physical, colonoscopy screening or some other appointment. Early treatment for Afib can avoid problems down the road, and there are more options now that weren’t available a few years ago.”
St. Luke’s Offers Expanded Afib Treatment
St. Luke’s has doubled its capacity to treat Afib and other heart rhythm conditions by adding a second electrophysiology lab and more heart experts, as part of its $25 million Heart & Vascular Center expansion. This investment allows St. Luke’s Heart Care team to more easily accommodate the growing number of patients who require their specialized care. Patients can be treated faster, improve their quality of life sooner and resume their usual activities more quickly.