FEBRUARY 2018
YOUR
After his bypass surgery, Lynn Wellman makes return to good health. PAGE 6
HEALTH
February 2018 AROUND ST. ANTHONY’S
4 Open-heart options
St. Anthony’s offers minimally invasive alternatives to open-heart surgery.
COVER STORY
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6 Return to good health
Musician Lynn Wellman is feeling great after his coronary bypass surgery.
FEATURE STORIES
8 Strolling with Molly Ted Sulzer is back on his feet after ablation procedure.
10 Seconds count
Beth Nissen is enjoying family time after beating deadly heart condition.
10
HEALTHY HABITS
12 Easy, one-dish meals Slow-cooker meals are a great way to save time and feed the family.
MOVE IT!
14 Give Pilates a try!
Pilates offers body conditioning and core muscle strengthening.
12 Articles with this icon have more information on our website. stanthonysmedcenter.com/connect Click on Your Health Today
2 | YOUR HEALTH TODAY
New guidelines for high blood pressure Nearly half of all Americans are now considered to have high blood pressure because of new guidelines released by the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology and nine other professional health organizations. The guidelines, published in the scientific journal Hypertension, set the parameters of high blood pressure at 130/80 rather than the previous standard of 140/90. This means an estimated 103.3 million Americans will be classified with high blood pressure, versus only 72.2 million Americans under the current standards. High blood pressure can increase your risk of heart attacks and strokes. Eating a healthy diet, avoiding salt and exercising regularly are good first steps to take in battling high blood pressure. Is your blood pressure high? Visit your doctor soon to have yours checked.
No primary care physician? We can help. Call St. Anthony’s Health Access Line at 314-ANTHONY (268-4669).
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healthy-fat diet can help you lose more weight than a low-fat one, if the fats consist of extra-virgin olive oil, fatty fish, nuts and other items, a recent study indicates. This is true even if you are older, have type 2 diabetes or are obese or overweight. A study published in Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology analyzed 7,447 people who ate three different diets for five years in a randomized control study. Two groups ate a Mediterranean diet, one supplemented with a mix of nuts and the other supplemented with plenty of extra-virgin olive oil with which to prepare the meals. The third group was not given a Mediterranean diet, but was told to avoid
all dietary fat. While all three groups lost some weight, the Mediterranean diet group that received the extra-virgin olive oil lost the most. A Mediterranean diet is heavy on vegetables and legumes, fish, fruit and whole grains. Red meat, processed food and sugar are off the table. Remember to steer clear of unhealthy fats, such as saturated and trans fats, which are found in processed food like potato chips. St. Anthony’s dietitians also note that proper portion control is essential to maintaining good health: Fat consumption should be kept to 20 to 35 percent of overall caloric intake.
Forgiveness: It’s what the doctor ordered Forgiving yourself and others can lower your stress and boost your mental health, researchers have concluded
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n a study in the Journal of Health Psychology, researchers questioned 148 young adults about their levels of lifetime stress, their inclination to forgive and their mental and physical health. Those with greater exposure to stress over their lifetimes struggled with mental and physical health. In those who were extremely forgiving of themselves and others, that tendency nearly
erased the connection between stress and mental illness. Researchers theorize that people who are more forgiving may adopt better coping skills to deal with stress, or their reaction to stressors may be blunted. They suggest that the inclination to forgive can be learned, and that a short prayer or a brief meditation may help complete this action. FEBRUARY 2018 | 3
David Dobmeyer, MD, FACC, meets with heart patient Bill Reagan.
With new heart valve procedure:
A minimally invasive alternative to open-heart surgery
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eaky artificial heart valves can lead to heart failure. Now, they can be repaired with a minimally invasive procedure that allows patients to avoid open-heart surgery. Last fall, St. Anthony’s performed its first transcatheter closure of a paravalvular leak. David Dobmeyer, MD, FACC, delivered mesh through a vein in the patient’s leg to the heart to seal the leak. “This procedure is offered only sporadically across the country,” Dr. Dobmeyer said. “It represents one of the latest ways to improve patients’ lives with a lower risk and shorter recovery time.”
Other options The transcatheter closure procedure is just one of several less-invasive alternatives to open heart surgery available at St. Anthony’s, including transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), MitraClip mitral valve repair and AngioVac blood clot removal. 4 | YOUR HEALTH TODAY
Bill Reagan received his artificial heart valve in 2014. He is one of the five to ten percent of valve replacement patients who experience a leak. For some of those patients, the leak will lead to heart failure or haemolytic anemia. Bill suffered heart failure leading to the need to repair the leak. Just two days after undergoing the repair, Reagan was ready to go home. He says he already felt much better than before the procedure and could breathe better. “Bill showed immediate improvement. For patients like Bill, they can expect this repair to be durable and eliminate the leakage,” said Dr. Dobmeyer.
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e To learn more, call th Health Access Line at -4669). 314-ANTHONY (268
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Hyland Receives Grant for Program for Troubled Teens M
any troubled teens have made positive long-term outcomes over the years through St. Anthony’s Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program in which caregivers work closely with parents and schools to provide comprehensive mental health treatment and family support services. “We have seen kids make huge strides here,” said Christine Filonow, coordinator of the Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program. Recently, St. Anthony’s at Hyland Behavioral Health received a grant to continue the program for troubled teens for another two years. The $1.3 million grant is from the St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund. The Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program provides services for adolescents ages 12 to 19 who reside in St. Louis County and exhibit behavioral, psychiatric and emotional issues that interfere with academic, social, emotional and psychological well-being. Adolescents entering IOP typically have experienced a serious mental health incident that led to their referral or that led them to the Emergency Department because of the crisis nature of the incident. Behavioral issues can include suicidal thoughts, social anxieties, issues with schoolwork or peers, defiance of authority figures and issues with drugs and alcohol. Hyland first received funding from the Children’s Service Fund for 2013, and has since received three additional two-year grants. To learn more about the program, call (314) 525-7296.
St. Anthony’s Earns Accreditation from Joint Commission for Hip, Knee Replacement St. Anthony’s has been honored by The Joint Commission for its commitment to providing safe and effective hip and knee replacement and care. The medical center earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement Certification. “St. Anthony’s has thoroughly demonstrated a high level of care for patients undergoing total hip and total knee replacement,” said Patrick Phelan, executive director, Hospital Business Development, The Joint Commission. A symbol of quality, the Gold Seal of Approval® was awarded after Joint Commission experts evaluated St. Anthony’s compliance with national disease-specific care standards and with total hip and total knee replacement-specific requirements. Clinical practice guidelines and performance measures also were assessed. “Our joint replacement team is continually working hard to provide excellent care for our patients. They have certainly earned this certification,” added Raj Swaminathan, MD, St. Anthony’s Chief Medical Officer. “We look forward to improving patient safety and quality of care for the increasing number of patients undergoing total hip or total knee replacement surgery.” FEBRUARY 2018 | 5
NOTEWORTHY:
Lynn Wellman’s swan song a harbinger to BETTER HEALTH
H “He’s the man I met, way back when. That guy’s back.” – Nancy Wellman
6 | YOUR HEALTH TODAY
e was a musician first, a patient second. And so, before his surgery on Sept. 1, Lynn Wellman set aside his worries and sat down at the grand piano in the lobby of the John K. Pruellage Heart & Vascular Center for what he thought might be his swan song. An appreciative crowd gathered and called for an encore. But now it was time for the performance of the cardiac team at St. Anthony’s: three-way coronary artery bypass graft surgery on Lynn’s ailing heart. “Let’s roll,” Lynn said to his caregivers and his wife, Nancy, who was in tears. Today, after a bypass procedure with cardiothoracic surgeon Seiichi Noda, MD, and his team, Lynn is back to his busy schedule. As owner of Remnant Productions with his wife, he delivers two to three concerts of music from the ‘30s,
‘40s and ‘50s each day to independent living and other organizations within a 60-mile radius of his home in Waterloo, Ill. Nancy, a now-retired certified dementia practitioner and certified activity professional, works with her husband using her skills and experience.
Ben Morrison, MD
Ironically, it was a car accident that led Lynn, 64, to learn the extent of his heart troubles. After his car was rear-ended by another driver last August, he was brought to St. Anthony’s Emergency Department. An electrocardiogram turned up an “abnormal left ventricular.” He underwent a stress test with cardiologist Ben Morrison, MD, followed by a catheterization procedure with Gus Theodos, MD. The doctors explained that Lynn would need a triple bypass procedure for blockages to his heart, though Lynn was certain they had picked up the wrong chart. As Nancy observed, “How can you look so good and have such an awful heart?” So Lynn played his swan song. Afterward, he underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery with Dr. Noda. During this surgery, the patient is not connected to a heart-lung machine, so the heart and lungs continue to function normally during surgery. Dr. Noda grafted an artery from Lynn’s chest, and veins from his legs, to make detours around the blocked areas in the heart. “The triple bypass these days, from the time we actually start the cut to the chest to the time we’ve finished, is typically only an hour and a half or two hours, versus three and a half to four hours with the use of a heart/lung machine,” Dr. Noda said. The short time on the operating table worried Nancy Wellman, who was waiting for Dr. Noda. But Lynn was going to be fine. Dr. Noda explained the surgery to the family, and he literally drew a picture of the procedure for them to be as clear as possible. “It was unbelievable teamwork, I’ve got to say,” Lynn recalled. “Just incredible. The ICU team was excellent. And the food was good to great!” The following Sunday, Lynn played a victory concert at the grand piano. After a recovery period with Nancy, his “best caregiver,” and three weekly visits to Cardiac Rehab, he will be back on his own road bike soon. Lynn now is back to his usual routine and feels better than he did before the surgery. As long as he continues to see the cardiology team regularly and does what he should, his prognosis should be very good, Drs. Noda and Morrison said. “He’s a bulldozer, I tell you,” Nancy said proudly. “He’s the man I met, way back when. That guy’s back.”
SEAMLESS AND
STREAMLINED St. Anthony’s heart care
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hile cardiac bypass surgery is one of the more common operations done in the United States, only about 18 percent of the surgeries in the U.S. are done “beating heart,” or without the use of a heart/lung machine. In addition to being completed faster than surgeries using a heart/lung machine, beating heart surgery involves much less blood loss. “There’s clearly evidence that shows that when you do beating heart surgery, your risk of having to have a blood transfusion is only about a third of the Seiichi Noda, MD traditional approach,” said cardiothoracic surgeon Seiichi Noda, MD. “Because we do beating heart surgery and because of some of the techniques we use, about 70 percent of our patients have their breathing tube taken out while they’re in the operating room, as opposed to almost every other hospital here in St. Louis, where it may be six, seven, eight hours before you have the breathing tube taken out.” The cardiac care team at St. Anthony’s has worked hard to streamline and perfect the process so that the patient experiences a seamless and satisfying transition from the time he or she enters the hospital to the recovery period. The cardiothoracic surgeons at Mercy Clinic Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery also perform off-pump cardiac bypass surgery.
nthony’s ation, call St. A For more inform ONY ute at 314-ANTH it st In ar ul sc Va Heart and ovascular ercy Clinic Cardi M or 9) 66 -4 68 (2 70. y at (314) 251-69 er rg Su ic ac or and Th FEBRUARY 2018 | 7
STROLLING Title for Ted Sulzer on his feet again after ELIZABETH
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8 | YOUR HEALTH TODAY
uring his 30-year career as a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, Ted Sulzer spent more than 57,000 hours on his feet. Ted retired in January, but years of stress had taken their toll on his legs. In March he began having trouble with swelling: walking, and even putting on his pants, became a chore. To complicate matters, Ted underwent surgery last spring after a blood clot from his left leg went into his lung. A short time earlier, Ted and his wife, Sharon, had lost two beloved pet wheaten terriers but were reluctant to adopt another, due to Ted’s mobility problems. Ted, 67, was suffering from chronic venous insufficiency or venous disease, said his cardiologist, Christopher Allen, MD. About 50 percent of sufferers, including Ted, don’t experience varicose veins, just leg swelling. Ted also had lymphedema in his legs that resulted from a blockage in his lymphatic system. Dr. Allen referred Ted to St. Anthony’s Vein Services, where he underwent the radiofrequency ablation procedure on both legs. The procedure takes about 45 minutes, after which the patient can walk and go home, Dr. Allen said. There’s no surgery, scalpel or suture; a heated catheter is introduced via a needle stick into the saphenous vein, causing diseased portions to close and be absorbed by the body. The blood automatically is rerouted to healthier veins, where it is pumped more efficiently. “They did the fronts of my legs one day and the backs about a month later,” Ted recalled. “I was scared of the procedure because I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but the caregivers there were just great. They put on some tunes that I liked, and although it wasn’t pleasant, it wasn’t as near as bad as I thought it would be. And the change was remarkable.”
with Molly ablation procedure
story
He continues to receive pneumatic compression in the form of leg pumps or “moon boots” for his lymphedema, which is incurable but can be managed with a variety of methods. “Ted’s venous disease is cured and should never come back,” Dr. Allen said. “The lymphedema is a different problem that also
It’s all in the
ACCREDITATION
Christopher Allen, MD
causes swelling; it is very treatable but not curable and will require lifelong treatment.” Recently the Sulzers welcomed a new family member into their home in Imperial, a soft-coated wheaten terrier named Molly. Ted knew it was meant to be, because “Molly” is his wife’s college nickname. These days, he enjoys walking Molly around the subdivision and to the old farm pond she likes to visit. “I can’t say enough about Dr. Allen and his staff. They were just super,” he said.
St. Anthony’s Vein Services is the first vein center in the bi-state region to be accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) in venous treatment and management, and is the only accredited vein services provider in the St. Louis area. Recently, it received a re-accreditation from the IAC, which affirms St. Anthony’s commitment to providing quality care to vein patients. The center performs approximately 15-20 venous ablations per week, and 800 or more each year, among other procedures. More than half of Americans who are 50 years or older are affected by varicose veins, which occur when the valves in the leg veins no longer function properly, causing venous reflux. This causes blood to pool in the legs. This condition is called chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). St. Anthony’s Vein Services offers various treatments for varicose veins including mechanochemical ablation (MOCA), endovenous thermal ablation (both laser and radiofrequency), ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy and ambulatory phlebectomy, which are medical procedures; along with sclerotherapy and laser treatments, which are cosmetic procedures.
Schedule a FREE vein screening today by calling 314-ANTHONY (268-4669).
FEBRUARY 2018 | 9
Title for TED story SECONDS count Beth Nissen is enjoying family time after beating deadly heart condition
Dr. Theodos took the time to come out and talk to my family in terms they could understand. — Beth Nissen
10 | YOUR HEALTH TODAY
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hen Beth Nissen recalls the wee morning hours of Sept. 6, 2016, she considers all the circumstances that could have unfolded differently: if she hadn’t awakened, if she had tried to go back to sleep, if she had gone to another hospital, if she hadn’t been seen by cardiologist Gus Theodos, MD. If even one had changed, she might not be around today. A severe headache awakened Beth that morning as she slept in her Waterloo home. Her husband, Brent, called 911 and she entered St. Anthony’s Emergency Department at 1:33 a.m. with a mild heart attack. During her triage, she suffered cardiac arrest twice. The final arrest, in the cardiac catheterization lab, occurred seconds after Dr. Theodos and his staff opened her blocked blood vessel with a stent. The clotting that had closed off the blood vessel accelerated and blocked off the entire left system of her heart, including the left main coronary artery. Dr. Theodos knew Beth wouldn’t survive open-heart surgery.
“In that acute setting, she was too sick to go to bypass surgery,” Dr. Theodos recalled. “One of my old teachers used to tell me, turn the acute problem into a chronic problem: fix the issue in the present, and we can deal with it in the future.” Because Beth’s arteries were blocked and she was suffering from potentially lethal heart rhythms and ventricular fibrillation, Dr. Theodos and his co-workers placed through Beth’s femoral artery an Impella pump. This tiny, temporary mechanized pump sits in the ventricle of the heart and pumps the blood to the rest of the body. Dr. Theodos had it implanted at 2:54 a.m., less than an hour and a half after she had arrived at the medical center. The blocked blood vessel was open by 2:59. “The arrhythmias resulted because her arteries were occluded, and the heart was under great stress,” Dr. Theodos said. “Once we were able to provide some blood flow and open up those arteries, the arrhythmias went away. We continued to work on her, gave her multiple rounds of medications, and
At left, Beth stands before the hill that epitomizes her journey of recovery. “When I returned home from being in the hospital for three weeks, I was extremely weak,” Beth recalled. “A wonderful friend of mine, Danita, who also is a nurse, came to stay with me the first week and would push me to walk greater distances every time we went outside. At first, it was to the end of the driveway, then out past the house, and so on. When she left, my husband took over and we continued the walks. We have a long hill up the road from us, and I decided that I would keep pushing myself to get up that darn hill! To this day, every time I walk up it, I feel a sense of accomplishment, and I carry with me everyone who has helped me on this journey.”
ultimately placed rounds of additional stents extending into both arteries, like a wishbone.” Beth’s chance of not surviving this procedure was greater than 50 percent, Dr. Theodos estimated. Then 52, she spent several days in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. “I truly believe that I am still here because of the efforts and skill of everyone in the Emergency Department, Dr. Theodos and his team, and the group of doctors and nurses who cared for me in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit,” Beth said. “I can’t say enough about everyone, especially Dr. Theodos. I know he went far beyond what he needed to do when he saved me that night. And he took the time to come out and talk to my family in terms they could understand so they really knew what was going on.” Dr. Theodos removed the pump three days after surgery, after Beth’s heart function rebounded. Because it occupied much of Beth’s small femoral artery, the Impella pump impaired the blood flow to Beth’s leg and she still suffers from foot drop, or the inability to lift the foot due to nerve damage. Today, after therapy and recovery, Beth is back to her regular routine. Her heart function is back to normal, and she’s on good medical therapy, Dr. Theodos said. Beth underwent an ablation procedure for an irregular heartbeat at the end of October, but otherwise she is staying busy. She takes special pride in helping to plan for the wedding of her daughter, Ally, in September. She notes that her entire family, including Brent, Ally and her son, Marty, were extremely supportive during her recovery. “I’m very lucky, very blessed,” she said.
Dr. Theodos checks in on Beth during her stay in the hospital.
HEART DISEASE:
The elusive menace Before that tumultuous night at St. Anthony’s Medical Center, Beth Nissen was a physically fit non-smoker who showed no outward signs of heart disease, although both her parents and two uncles have had heart attacks. In retrospect, severe head and neck pain and numbness were her warning signs. On a family trip to their lake house the previous weekend, Beth had gone out on a wave runner and thought she had pinched a nerve in her neck. A couple days later, she awoke with a severe headache that would not go away; shortly after arriving at her teaching position, she returned home in tears. Brent took her to the family doctor, who prescribed a muscle relaxant and sent her home. “I woke up early the next morning, and it felt as though someone was slamming my head repeatedly against a wall,” she recalled. “I’m very blessed that of all places, I wound up at St. Anthony’s Emergency Department.”
THERE’S MORE ON THE WEB: Learn more about St. Anthony’s cardiac care services at stanthonysmedcenter.com/heart FEBRUARY 2018 | 11
Manage spring schedules with easy, one-dish meals A Spring is on its way, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to pack up your slow cooker.
s the weather gets warmer and your schedule gets busier, slow cooker and one-dish meals are a great way to feed your family a nutritious meal on a hectic evening, notes St. Anthony’s dietitian Morgan Gregor, RD, LDN. For a more nutritious one-dish meal, look for recipes that include lean protein, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lots of vegetables or fruit. Limit typical “casserole” recipes that are filled with cheeses, heavy cream sauces and refined grains, as these ingredients pack lots of extra calories with few nutrients, Morgan notes. Precooked proteins, such as shredded rotisserie chicken, low-sodium canned fish or low-sodium canned beans make meal preparation easier and keep you satisfied long after you finish your meal. Whole grains including brown rice, whole-wheat pasta or quinoa provide fiber, help with weight maintenance and support heart health. Low-fat milk and cheese add calcium to support bone, joint and muscle health. Springtime vegetables that work especially well in these recipes include asparagus, spinach, peas, broccoli, bell peppers and green beans. Not only do they provide wonderful flavors, but they also add an abundance of vitamins and minerals. “Luckily, slow-cooker and one-dish recipes are often very versatile, so don’t be afraid to change the recipe based on what your family enjoys eating,” Morgan suggests. “Even when following a recipe, you can easily swap the type of vegetable, whole grain or protein to make the dish unique to your family’s favorite foods, as well as the season of the year.”
THERE’S MORE ON THE WEB: Find more healthy, delicious recipes at stanthonysmedcenter.com and click on “Connect With Us.”
12 | YOUR HEALTH TODAY
Stuffed Peppers Slow Cooker
INGREDIENTS 6 large bell peppers 1 pound ground turkey ½ cup onion, chopped 1 15 oz. can low-sodium diced tomatoes 1 cup cooked brown rice (Morgan recommends Birdseye Steamer Bags or Minute Rice) 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon garlic 1¼ cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese, divided ¼ cup water (to put in the bottom of the slow cooker) Low-fat sour cream, avocado, and/or salsa for serving Serves 6
Recipe modified from therecipecritic.com
PREPARATION Cut off tops of each bell pepper and scrape out the seeds. Set aside. Combine ground turkey, onion, diced tomatoes, rice, soy sauce, salt, pepper, garlic, chili powder and 1 cup of cheese. Stuff each bell pepper with mixture. Pour water in the bottom of slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours until peppers are tender and ground turkey is cooked throughout. About 15 minutes before serving, sprinkle remaining cheese and let it melt. Top with diced avocado, low-fat sour cream and/or salsa as desired. NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: 310 calories, 13 grams fat, 20 grams carbohydrates, 24 grams protein, 550 mg sodium
FEBRUARY 2018 | 13
move it!
Pilates: Strengthening to the core
14 | YOUR HEALTH TODAY
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ody conditioning and core muscle strengthening are the benefits of Pilates, an exercise program that has been practiced for almost a century. Joseph Pilates, an orderly in World War I, started the exercises now known as Pilates as rehabilitation for the soldiers, noted Jean Curtis, who has taught Pilates for 15 years and currently teaches four classes at the Mind, Body, Spirit Center. Like yoga, Pilates is a mind-body exercise. But while yoga includes many poses, practitioners of Pilates are constantly in flow. “You constantly move in and out of your exercise, transitioning from one exercise to the next in a very flowing, graceful kind of way,” Jean noted. “The advantages of Pilates are strengthening, overall conditioning and lengthening of the entire body. You become more relaxed, and you have great posture. This is used for sports conditioning, too – it’s great for people who play football or other sports. You create a very strong core and learn to use your body more efficiently and more effectively so you don’t injure yourself.”
IS PILATES RIGHT FOR YOU? Jean suggests trying these basic warm-up exercises to see if Pilates may be for you.
BREATHING • Standing in front of a mirror, place your hands on your lower ribcage underneath your breastbone, fingers knitted together. • Keep your abdominal muscles pulled in and engaged, as though you’re wearing a corset.
“I teach to all levels.”
• Inhale, expand your ribcage and let your hands spread out to the sides as your chest expands.
If you’re interested in trying one of the
• Exhale, pulling the belly in and tightening it, again knitting the fingers together.
314-ANTHONY (268-4669) today or visit
PARTIAL ROLLDOWN • Sit on the floor with your hands on your lap or to the sides, keeping your shoulders back and down. • Facing forward, round and curl your lower back as you lower it to the floor, one backbone at a time.
four classes Jean Curtis teaches, call stanthonysmedcenter.com/Classes-Events to register online. “Anyone can do mat Pilates, except those who can’t get down to the floor,” she notes.
• Carefully reverse the process and sit up straight and tall. FEBRUARY 2018 | 15
MISSION St. Anthony’s, a Catholic medical center, has the duty and the privilege to provide the best care to every patient, every day.
St. Anthony’s Medical Center 10010 Kennerly Road St. Louis, Mo. 63128 stanthonysmedcenter.com
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Good as Gold ST. ANTHONY’S HEART FAILURE PROGRAM IS RECIPIENT OF TWO PRESTIGIOUS HONORS St. Anthony’s Heart Failure Program is the first facility in the St. Louis region to earn the prestigious Gold Seal of Approval® for Advanced Certification in Heart Failure from The Joint Commission. The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association also honored St. Anthony’s with its 2017 Get With The Guidelines–Heart Failure Silver Plus Achievement Award. This award recognizes the use of specific quality improvement measures designed to speed the recovery of heart failure patients and reduce hospital readmissions for those patients.
For more information on the clinic, call
Learn more about heart failure at
314-ANTHONY
stanthonysmedcenter.com/heart
(268-4669)