Page 23 - Indulge October/November 2015
P. 23
SING Larry Palmer
at the police station.
BthEe AT
Irregular heartbeat doesn’t
slow down police chief
If being a police officer can be stressful, Out of Rhythm Photo courtesy of Easton Hospitaloctober/november 2015 • indulge | 23
imagine being the chief.
Larry Palmer has served as an officer He’s gotten to know that team pretty New Beat
for 26 years. For 16 of those years, he’s well. In 2011, he began to experience
been the chief. atrial fibrillation — an irregular To treat it, Khalighi and Larry began
heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, to discuss ablation — a procedure that
“It can be a stressful career,” he says. stroke and heart failure. Larry had two maps the heart to determine where the
“The stressors are different when you types, affecting two different chambers. electric signals are irregular so that
are behind the desk instead of on the tissue can be destroyed.
beat.” On this day, Larry seemed sullen That’s when his cardiologist and
because two officers in Mississippi had electrophysiologist, Kourush Khalighi, To ensure it was the best course
been gunned down. MD, an independent member of the of action, Khalighi had Larry seek a
Easton Hospital medical staff, began second opinion at the University of
Larry was almost taken down, too. cardioversion treatments, a medical Pennsylvania.
Not by a criminal, but by his heart. In procedure to restore a normal heart
2010, he had a heart attack. rhythm by sending an electrical shock to “That physician verified everything
the heart. Khalighi had said,” Larry says. “Ablation
A few days before the attack, he’d was going to be the best way to go.”
been on the range for a firearms training. It would help for a bit, but soon
Larry’s heart would fall back out Khalighi and Vadim Levin, MD, both
“It was a hot day,” he says. “I thought of rhythm. heart rhythm specialists with more than
I had heat exhaustion.” 12 years experience, performed the
“I could feel it happen anytime I was lengthy and complicated surgery.
On the morning of his heart attack, physically exerting myself,” he says.
he woke to chest pain and started to “It took about six hours,” Larry says.
sweat profusely. His wife drove him to To treat one type affecting Larry, “But it was worth it. My heart feels great.”
the Easton Hospital Emergency Room. Khalighi implanted a pacemaker-
defibrillator that would help maintain And his experience at Easton
“I went right up to the catheterization rhythm and provide a shock to help reset Hospital was in his words, “tremendous.”
lab,” he says. He had two blockages that the heart to normal rhythm.
were opened with stents. He’s now back on the force serving
Larry had success with that Palmer Township, helping to keep the
“The staff and team there were just arrhythmia, but the other type, which community safe and sound and doing
the best,” he says. “I’ve had nothing but affected the other chamber, continued. it with a steady heart.
good experiences at Easton Hospital.”
“If it were not for Dr. Khalighi and
the cardiac team at Easton, I might
not be here,” he says.
at the police station.
BthEe AT
Irregular heartbeat doesn’t
slow down police chief
If being a police officer can be stressful, Out of Rhythm Photo courtesy of Easton Hospitaloctober/november 2015 • indulge | 23
imagine being the chief.
Larry Palmer has served as an officer He’s gotten to know that team pretty New Beat
for 26 years. For 16 of those years, he’s well. In 2011, he began to experience
been the chief. atrial fibrillation — an irregular To treat it, Khalighi and Larry began
heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, to discuss ablation — a procedure that
“It can be a stressful career,” he says. stroke and heart failure. Larry had two maps the heart to determine where the
“The stressors are different when you types, affecting two different chambers. electric signals are irregular so that
are behind the desk instead of on the tissue can be destroyed.
beat.” On this day, Larry seemed sullen That’s when his cardiologist and
because two officers in Mississippi had electrophysiologist, Kourush Khalighi, To ensure it was the best course
been gunned down. MD, an independent member of the of action, Khalighi had Larry seek a
Easton Hospital medical staff, began second opinion at the University of
Larry was almost taken down, too. cardioversion treatments, a medical Pennsylvania.
Not by a criminal, but by his heart. In procedure to restore a normal heart
2010, he had a heart attack. rhythm by sending an electrical shock to “That physician verified everything
the heart. Khalighi had said,” Larry says. “Ablation
A few days before the attack, he’d was going to be the best way to go.”
been on the range for a firearms training. It would help for a bit, but soon
Larry’s heart would fall back out Khalighi and Vadim Levin, MD, both
“It was a hot day,” he says. “I thought of rhythm. heart rhythm specialists with more than
I had heat exhaustion.” 12 years experience, performed the
“I could feel it happen anytime I was lengthy and complicated surgery.
On the morning of his heart attack, physically exerting myself,” he says.
he woke to chest pain and started to “It took about six hours,” Larry says.
sweat profusely. His wife drove him to To treat one type affecting Larry, “But it was worth it. My heart feels great.”
the Easton Hospital Emergency Room. Khalighi implanted a pacemaker-
defibrillator that would help maintain And his experience at Easton
“I went right up to the catheterization rhythm and provide a shock to help reset Hospital was in his words, “tremendous.”
lab,” he says. He had two blockages that the heart to normal rhythm.
were opened with stents. He’s now back on the force serving
Larry had success with that Palmer Township, helping to keep the
“The staff and team there were just arrhythmia, but the other type, which community safe and sound and doing
the best,” he says. “I’ve had nothing but affected the other chamber, continued. it with a steady heart.
good experiences at Easton Hospital.”
“If it were not for Dr. Khalighi and
the cardiac team at Easton, I might
not be here,” he says.
