Patient Outcomes: Paul Kelley considers himself a medical miracle. And why not? The 78-year-old has survived three heart attacks and numerous strokes. Today, the Eden, NC, resident is impressed by how much better he feels after he became the first person in the state to use a novel approach for treating heart failure. Kelley had his first heart attack at 34. It has led to heart failure—a major health problem impacting 5.8 million Americans. Like many, Kelley had trouble walking to his mailbox without running out of breath. “Itwasverydepressing,”Kelley says. But in early June, Kelley was asked if he wanted to join a clinical trial at Cone Health Heart and Vascular Center. It is called the BeAT-HF trial, and it uses Baroreflex Activation Therapy®. Vascular surgeon Wells Brabham, MD, placed a tiny electrode onto Kelley’s carotid artery. Then cardiologist James Allred, MD, attached a wire from the electrode to an egg-sized pulse generator placed under the skin in Kelley’s chest. When the generator sends a pulse to the carotid artery, the body responds in surprising ways. “A signal goes to the brain and the brain tells the body’s circulatory system to sort of relax,” says Allred. “The blood pressure drops, the heart slows and the kidneys even work better.” A month after the device was put in, Kelley hopped on the treadmill. “Iwalkeda mileandahalfin45minutesandwasnottheleastbitwinded.Myenergylevelis awesome.” “It is gratifying that people in this area can get access to these types of clinical trials right in their own communities,” says Allred. Electronic device channels body's natural rhythms in battle against heart failure — Vivian Barber Electrophysiology Watchman: An Alternative to Blood Thinners About three million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with AFib, putting them at a risk of having a stroke. Blood thinners have long been the standard treatment, but for some, the side effects and bleeding risk can outweigh the benefits. Fortunately, people with AFib not caused by heart valve problems have another treatment option. Cone Health is one of a handful of medical centers in the state to offer Watchman – a small mechanical device implanted in the left atrial appendage of the heart where 90 percent of blood clots form. Once in place, the Watchman opens and seals off the area from the rest of the heart. “Blood thinners are proven effective and continue to be a good option for many people with AFib,” says James Allred, MD, director of the Atrial Fibrillation Center at Cone Health. “For people with AFib who experience side effects from blood thinners, this one-time procedure has been proven effective at reducing stroke risk for the rest of their lives.” Paul Kelley with cardiovascular research coordinator Annie Morrison MSN, RN 33 32 CONE HEALTH | THE NETWORK FOR EXCEPTIONAL CARE CONE HEALTH | HEART AND VASCULAR CENTER