Back to 2007 PRESS RELEASES

Cardiologist will discuss irregular heart rhythm at Rome Memorial Hospital’s Health Night
 

ROME - In recognition of American Heart Month, John J. Cai, M.D., a cardiac electrophysiologist and consulting cardiologist at Rome Memorial Hospital, will discuss treatment options for atrial fibrillation – an irregular heart rhythm - at Health Night 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7. The lecture will be presented in Rome Memorial Hospital’s cafeteria.

Atrial fibrillation, a serious heart rhythm disorder, is found in an estimated 2.2 million Americans, according to the American Heart Association. A healthy heart contracts and relaxes to a regular beat. When this beat becomes irregular or too fast, as in atrial fibrillation, the heart doesn’t contract and pump blood the way it should increasing the possibility of blood clots and a stroke.

In his presentation, Dr. Cai will explain what atrial fibrillation is and the various treatment options that are available to treat it, including medications or electrophysiology procedures such as catheter based radiofrequency ablation procedures that can provide a cure for many atrial fibrillation patients. Currently, Dr. Cai is the only electrophysiologist in the area to perform catheter based ablation procedures for atrial fibrillation.

“Many people are living with atrial fibrillation but it is important it is diagnosed and treated,” explained Dr. Cai. “Atrial fibrillation can lead to other cardiac problems or systemic problems such as stroke, chronic fatigue, palpitation, cardiomyopathy (weakening of the heart muscle), resulting in congestive heart failure as well as requiring a pacemaker in some patients at a young age.”

“When your heart’s atrium pumps too fast or irregularly, blood can pool and form clots,” he said. “A clot can break loose, enter the bloodstream, travel to the brain and cause a stroke. Although this doesn’t happen in every case, nearly 15-20 percent of all strokes occur in people with atrial fibrillation.”

The likelihood of developing atrial fibrillation increases with age, reports the American Heart Association.

Dr. Cai, a physician member of the Heart Rhythm Society, specializes in cardiac electrophysiology studies (testing that records electrical activity in the heart to determine the cause and best treatment of heart rhythm abnormalities).

Dr. Cai earned his medical degree from Shanghai Medical College in Shanghai, China. After completing his surgical residency at the division of cardio-thoracic surgery, RunJi Hospital, Shanghi Medical College, he gained additional training as a cardiovascular research fellow at the National Institute of Health following three years as a research scientist at the University of Iowa, Division of Cardiology. He then completed his Internal Medicine Residency at Michigan State University followed by an additional three years of clinical cardiology fellowship training in the University of Iowa hospitals and clinics. In 2000, Dr. Cai was elected as the only NASPE fellow (North America Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology). NASPE is currently named The Heart Rhythm Society. He completed an additional clinical cardiac electrophysiology fellow at Loyola University Chicago Medical Center, Illinois with special emphasis on radiofrequency ablation. Dr. Cai has received many national and regional awards for his research and clinical presentations.

Health Night is a free monthly lecture series. Advance registration is not required. Refreshments will be served.

For more information, please call 338-7143.

In addition to providing educational programming such as February’s Health Night, Rome Memorial Hospital continues to raise community awareness of the importance of heart health and the seriousness of heart disease.

For the sixth consecutive year, the hospital is the site sponsor for the American Heart Association’s Rome Indoor Walk/Run which will take place 9 a.m. to noon. Saturday Feb. 23 at Rome Free Academy. Pre-registration is at 9 a.m. If you are interested in joining or starting a team for the Rome event or America’s Greatest Run/Walk at Utica College on Mar. 8, please call the American Heart Association at 266-5403.