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Heart & Vascular Blog
April 24, 2024
Heart Attack and Coronary Dissection in Women
About WakeMed Heart & VascularWakeMed Heart & Vascular physicians bring together expert cardiovascular, t...
February 27, 2024
Seeing in Silhouettes: Pat Perry's Story of Regaining Memory and Function after Brain Injury
You've probably heard of sudden nocturnal death, or passing away in your sleep. When it happens to someon...
February 16, 2024
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Can Happen at Any Moment — Know the Signs
Annually, approximately 350,000 adults in the United States experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. In many instances, these events end in loss of life.
February 15, 2024
Heart-Pounding Help for a Thrill Seeker’s Heart: Danny Fanning’s Story
Danny Fanning lives for a thrill. A volunteer firefighter from 1975 to 2002, drummer for a local band and a motorcyclist and drag racer for much of his life, Danny loves whatever revs up his adrenaline and sends his heart pounding.
February 15, 2024
David Keith: Strong at Heart after WakeMed Cardiac Rehab
When a heart beats out of sync, it can be an anomaly or hint at bigger issues. Little did David Keith know, his irregular heart beat was a whisper of what was to come.
February 15, 2024
Falling for Flavor — Delicious Seasonal Spices That Are Healthy Too
Fall and winter in North Carolina are a perfect time to get cozy by the fire with warm, seasonal beverages, baked goods and dishes made with some classic, flavorful spices. The good news is that many of these popular ‘cold weather’ spices that can fill your home with scents of the season also offer numerous heart healthy benefits.
February 15, 2024
The Latest on Managing Chronic Coronary Disease — Summarizing New Treatment Guidelines
For patients with heart disease, it can be an overwhelming world of medical terms, treatments and medications. While there are many kinds of heart disease, the most common is chronic coronary disease (CCD), also known as coronary artery disease (CAD) or coronary heart disease (CHD).
February 15, 2024
Heart Screenings for Young Athletes: A Q&A with Dr. Jason Ho, Pediatric Cardiologist
Winter and spring sports are gearing up for high school and college students. And, where an unknown heart issue is present, this could put your student at risk for cardiac arrest.
February 15, 2024
Tele Heart Care Supports Heart Surgery Patients at Home
Heart surgery is serious business – and WakeMed Heart & Vascular is committed to providing not only the highest quality surgical care with the best outcomes, but also to supporting our patients in the weeks following their procedure.
February 7, 2024
Take 5 with Julie Turkel, BSN, RN, CCRN
Meet Julie Turkel, BSN, RN, CCRN — Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU), Rapid Response & Code Blue Teams. For more than 15 years, Julie Turkel has worked in multiple areas that care for and/or respond to some of the most critically-ill patients in the hospital. In addition to her nursing role, Julie participates in numerous committees and councils — advocating for our patients and helping implement new policies and procedures designed to improve care and outcomes. She is also a recent Pyramid Society Award winner, which is WakeMed’s highest employee honor.
January 24, 2024
Game Day Recipe Swaps
From the Super Bowl to March Madness, it’s game day season. WakeMed registered dietitian Monika Kraus and WakeMed dietic intern Maggie Darden want to help you make choices that are good for your heart. You can enjoy foods that are a tantalizing touchdown for your tastebuds — without being artery clogging, heartburn-inducing takedowns for your […]
January 8, 2024
Tune Into the Many Benefits of Music
We know that beautiful music or a great song can tug at the proverbial heart strings, but can music actually have a positive physiological affect on the heart and body? Research suggests that it can. Countless studies point to the numerous effects music may have on mental health, stress levels, anxiety, pain – and even […]
December 28, 2023
A Cold Weather Superfood Hearty Heart-Healthy Sweet Potatoes
One of nature’s heartiest veggies is the humble sweet potato, and fortunately for us, it’s one of North Carolina’s signature crops. In fact, NC is the top sweet potato producer in the country and has been since 1971 — thanks to our hot, moist climate and rich, fertile soil. If you’re seeking a dish that […]
December 7, 2023
A Legacy of Heartfelt Care Dr Jimmy Locklears Dedicated Service Through the Years
Jimmy Locklear, MD, FACC, launched his medical career in 1985 and has since been a beacon for compassionate patient care. Board certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular diseases, Dr. Locklear has been a part of the Medical Staff at WakeMed his entire career. He joined WakeMed Heart & Vascular full-time after more than two decades […]
November 27, 2023
Robert Baker Broke a 51-Year Smoking Habit with Quit With WakeMed
How It Started I began smoking in 1972 at the age of 16 — as I was a rebellious teenager who fell into peer pressure. I went into the military straight out of high school. It fueled the habit because while serving my country, I saw atrocities that no person should see. Smoking helped me […]
November 21, 2023
Eric Rodgers Quit Smoking for Good after 30 Years
How It Started I started smoking around the age of 20 while in college because those in my social group all smoked. I had a lot of late nights and was also working at a restaurant at the time. Everyone in the restaurant smoked, so it just seemed natural. I went on to smoke for […]
November 9, 2023
Arrhythmias and Stroke - A Dangerous Risk
The heart is a complex organ made of muscle that is powered by electrical impulses. Every heart comes equipped with what cardiac electrophysiologists (cardiologists who specialize in diagnosing and treating problems with the heart’s electrical system) like to call a ‘biological pacemaker,’ which is the heart’s natural electrical system (also known as the sinus node). […]
October 18, 2023
A Team that Demands the Best for Atrial Fibrillation Care Courtney Ammons Story
“I would have periodic episodes of a very rapid heart rate, and I discounted them for about six months,” shares Courtney Ammons, a Wake County high school chemistry teacher. Because she had hyperthyroidism, she experienced rapid heart beats occasionally, so she assumed this was an unwanted side effect of her condition. After an eventful day […]
September 8, 2023
Singing His Praises: Rex Austin Performs an Original Song for WakeMed's Dr. Bryon Boulton
On December 5, 2022, after a long day at work, Rex Austin went home, grabbed a bite to eat and settled in for the evening, but his relaxation was short lived. Around 5:00 pm, he noticed his heart began beating incredibly fast. “My shirt seemed to bounce with the fast rhythm of my heart, and […]
WakeMed Fast 5
Valve Disease and Heart Murmurs with Dr. Trevor Upham
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery with Dr. Robert Ferguson
What is Heart Failure? with Dr. Stuart Russell
Valve Disease with Dr. Bryon Boulton
Atrial Fibrillation with Ashish Patel
WakeMed Voices Podcast
The Classes and Stages of Heart Failure with Dr. Stuart Russell
Heart Failure: What to Know, What to Do with Dr. Stuart Russell