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Speaking & Book Signing Invitation: “For People With Heart Murmurs” hosted by Alta Bates Medical Center — This Thursday in Oakland!

By Adam Pick on February 11, 2011

For those in the Oakland area, I wanted to invite you to a special, educational seminar hosted by Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland, California this Thursday, February 17, at 6:30pm.

During this complimentary session titled, “For People with Heart Murmus”, Dr. Junaid Khan, staff surgeon, will discuss heart valve disease and the various treatment options available to patients. To help patients and their caregivers understand the patient perspective on heart valve surgery, Dr. Khan has asked me to speak at the event and then sign books. FYI, all books signed will be provided at no charge for those who RSVP in advance of the event (while supplies last).

Invitation To Attend Alta Bates Summitt Medical Center Event

If you or some you know would like to attend the event, please RSVP by calling (510) 869-6737 as soon as possible — space is limited.

I hope to see you there!

Keep on tickin!
Adam

Written by Adam Pick
- Patient & Website Founder

Written by Adam Pick - Patient & Website Founder

Adam Pick is a heart valve patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. In 2006, Adam founded HeartValveSurgery.com to educate and empower patients. This award-winning website has helped over 10 million people fight heart valve disease. Adam has been featured by the American Heart Association and Medical News Today.

Emilie Green says on February 11th, 2011 at 2:49 pm

Hi Adam,
I purchased your book in December, 2010 when my 92 yr.old father was referred for a surgical consult for AS. His AVA is and has remained stable at 0.8 cm2 since 12/09, thru 3 echo’s. I am hoping you or your readers can provide me with information about assessing the risk and treatment of older patients with multiple medical problems.
My father is asymptommatic. He has a multitude of symptoms attributable to other medical issues, including dizziness, which the cardiologist had always dismissed until this past December, when he referred him for a surgical consult. In retrospect, I think he forgot about my father’s medical history- which has included vestibular bilateral hypofunction[ dizziness] for over 10 years.
We did have a 12 minute consult with a well known Boston surgeon, who also seemed unaware of my father’s other medical issues. My father is a slightly impaired, but otherwise very healthy and delightful 92 yr.old. He carries a high risk if anticoagulated. He had a cerebral hemorrhage in 2006, with a subsequent DVT LLE 3 weeks later. He had an IVC filter inserted, since anticoagulation was too risky. The hemorrhagic stroke was presumptively diagnosed as minimal, though suspected amyloid angiopathy which can result in spontaneous bleeds in the brain. He also has experienced some progressive mild memory loss after the stroke, which I understand can be exacerbated after cardiac surgery. I know he would not survive full open heart surgery. Do the mini invasive procedures carry the same risk of memory loss open heart surgeries? What percentage of those procedures result in increased dizziness?
One doctor said anti-coagulation was used during a cardiac cath, the other said it was not. One said a valvoplasty could be done without anticoagulation, the second said it could not. Furthermore one said valvoplasty was the only option, but not yet, and refused to respond to my dad’s questions about the relative risks of a valvoplasty vs. a mini invasive procedure.
The other said a valvoplasty was paliative, but also carried grave risks. He concurred that my dad was not a candidate for open heart surgery since it required full anticoagulation, but referred us to a mini invasive surgeon-noting that my dad did not yet fit the FDA criteria of an AVA of 0.8cm or less.
Travelling with my Dad is difficult, but not impossible given his age, but made more complicated because of horrible weather in the northeast now. I would like to stay in the Boston area. We would be enormously grateful for any information, advice, or thoughts. My father would like to have a few more years, but risking another stroke, is a grave price.
Thanks in advance…and feel free to edit this if it makes it to your blog.

John Ure says on February 11th, 2011 at 6:50 pm

Adam: Will it be possible to get transcripts from this educational seminar.
Regards John ure

marcelle says on February 19th, 2011 at 6:22 pm

Hi Adam

I’m so glad I made the trek in the rainy weather to attend this event. Even though I’m post-op I found some of the information really useful…I feel a lot better about my impending surgery to replace my bio-valve for sure. It was great to meet you in person and to finally be able to tell Dr. Khan thanks in person.

I noticed they were taping the event and both you and Dr. Khan used slides during the presentation – will the slides or recording be posted?

Thanks –
Marcelle