Doctors don't always have the opportunity to hear about the impact they've had on their patients. So, Interventional Cardiologist Dr. John Phillips and Emmy Award-winning journalist/patient advocate Kym McNicholas talk to patients who have a disease that's deadlier than all cancers combined, except lung cancer, called Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD). PAD is a circulation issue in the legs that left untreated can lead to amputation, stroke, and heart attack. Patient Alan offers his thanks to Dr. Kumar Madassery at Rush Hospital as well as Dr. Jihad Mustapha at Advanced Cardiac and Vascular Centers in Michigan, along with his vascular surgeons in Indiana. Nancy thanks Dr. James Antezana, a vascular surgeon in Charlotte, North Carolina for his care. Charles shares his appreciation for Dr. Michael Siah, a vascular surgeon in Dallas for saving his limbs as well as TheWayToMyHeart.org for supporting his wife through the journey. And Douglas shares his appreciation for Dr. Mehrzad Zarghouni for not only saving his legs but also his life. 

In this episode, host Kym McNicholas shares a personal story about her father's battle with blood clots. Joined by InterventionalCardiologist Dr. Jay Mathews and Pain Specialist Dr. Efrain Rivera, they delve into the challenges her father faced after a fall and subsequent sedentary recovery period. Initially misdiagnosed with back issues, they explore how the discovery of blood clots in his lungs and leg veins changed the treatment approach. Together, the medical experts provide guidance on available treatment options, offer valuable insights, and equip listeners with essential questions to ensure the best care for their loved ones. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of blood clots and how to become a proactive advocate for your family's health.

Co-host Kym McNicholas is LIVE at the CLI-F Multidisciplinary limb salvage conference by The Limb Saver Society in El Paso, Texas. She is joined by conference co-founder Lorena Henderson to talk about its focus, which is on complex revascularization techniques, wound care, podiatry and infectious disease best practices for amputation prevention. Also joining Kym is Podiatrist Dr. Gary Grindstaff and Pain Specialist Dr. Efrain Rivera to talk about managing patients with vascular issues and chronic pain. They discuss medication and other modalities to try and bring some relief either temporary or long-term for these patients.

Show co-host Kym McNicholas surprises co-host Dr. John Phillips with a live thank you from a patient after saving her limb and her sister's life. You don't want to miss the story these two sisters share of their fight against genetics and the lessons both physicians and patients need to learn in order to prevent heart disease and peripheral artery disease from reaching advanced stages where heart attack, stroke, and amputation are imminent. 

We were live ahead of the The African American Male Wellness Agency Walk in Los Angeles talking to their director Jhade Barnes to talk about the need to improve access and care for African American Men. Since 2004, The AAMW agency has produced a 5K Walk & Run (The Walk) in over 15 cities as an awareness campaign to spotlight the fact that Black Men get Peripheral Artery Disease and Diabetes related amputations at 4x that of their white counterparts and die on average 12 years earlier than their white counterparts. They have incredible partners such as Johnson & Johnson and The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson that provide free testing and information to help Black men live longer from preventable diseases like PAD. This year The Way To My Heart, EZ Care Link, and Philips Healthcare had the opportunity to provide support for this wonderful mission! Celebrity fitness trainer Dion Jackson was also at the event to help inspire better health through exercise. 

Salih Hendricks was diagnosed with diabetes as a teen and no one warned him of the potential for vascular complications that comes with an imbalance of sugar in the bloodstream. He shares his personal experience with diabetes, which includes facing challenges such as the rupture of blood vessels behind his eyes, which nearly caused him to lose his vision, as well as the amputation of his leg due to the accumulation of plaque in his leg arteries, restricting blood flow to his foot. Salih has transformed the lessons he learned along his journey into a life purpose, dedicated to assisting others who are also afflicted by diabetes and associated artery issues. His aim is to provide support and guidance to those who face similar struggles.

Individuals with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) describe the pain caused by artery blockages restricting blood flow to their feet as having a tourniquet wrapped tightly around their thigh and calf causing their muscles, tissues, and nerves below to scream for much needed oxygen and other nutrients. Timing is critical to diagnose and treat PAD whether with medication, lifestyle modifications, and/or interventional/surgical approaches because once tissue and nerves are damaged due to lack of blood flow,pain may be permanent. Few options are available to bring relief for that neuropathy pain and chiropractic and general wellness practices across the country are preying upon these individuals with band-aid options which come at a high price. But some physicians are working on clinical solutions that are much more effective and durable for these patients who have had their blood flow restored and still can’t get relief from PAD, diabetic neuropathy, or even phantom pain following amputation. Southern Vascular & Pain Management Center Interventional Radiologists Dr. Stephen Leschak and Dr. Thomas Hodgkiss join Emory University Vice Chair for imaging intervention and division director for interventional radiology Dr. David Prologo in talking about innovative approaches to managing pain and questions to ask your doctor to know if they’re right for you.

Charles Winters thought he could breathe a sigh of relief after the gift of a lifetime, a kidney transplant, saved his life. But after his fight for life, he found himself fighting for limb. Doctors hadn’t told him Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients are at an increased risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD), blocked arteries
in mainly the leg arteries which restrict blood flow, and steps that could be taken such as with diet and exercise to prevent it. So, after he recovered from a kidney transplant and had just started getting his life back in order, he found himself back in the hospital fighting to avoid amputation. He talks to hosts Kym
McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips about his life and limb-saving journey that is certain to give others hope that it’s possible to live a longer, better quality of life, if only you stand up and advocate for what you feel is right for your care.

Individuals with Chronic Kidney Disease have an increased risk of developing limb-threatening plaque build-up in their leg arteries that restricts blood flow, a disorder known as peripheral artery disease (PAD). That’s why Terry Litchfield, who fought alongside her husband Bill who was a dialysis dependent CKD patient for more than 50 years, is sinking her teeth into prevention efforts and advances in treatment for those with advanced disease that tends to settle in the calf and foot arteries, which are tougher to tackle. She joins hosts Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips in talking about gaps in care for CKD and PAD patients and innovative ways in which sees care evolving to help patients live a longer, healthier life. Terry has dedicated her life to advocacy, turning her passion into her profession as President of Access
Solutions, which offers patient Advocacy consulting services related to the renal dialysis field. She’s also an author and expert in patient engagement and satisfaction so you don’t want to miss highlights from her publications.

Blood clots are a common occurrence that can have fatal consequences. However, they can be prevented by understanding the risk factors, recognizing the signs, and seeking prompt medical attention. This is an important topic, especially with World Thrombosis Day taking place annually on October 13. The International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) organizes this global initiative to raise awareness about thrombosis, a condition that is often overlooked or misunderstood. Thrombosis occurs when blood clots form in veins or arteries, leading to serious health risks such as deep vein thrombosis(DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), stroke, and heart attack. In this episode of The Heart of Innovation, hosts Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips interview Dr. Thomas Tu, Chief Medical Officer for Inari Medical. Inari Medical has developed a groundbreaking device that offers a new approach to treating blood clots. The discussion focuses on how clots form, the reasons behind their formation, the individuals who are most vulnerable, the signs and symptoms to watch out for, and the various natural and medical options available to reduce the risk of fatal outcomes.

Interventional Cardiologist Barry Tedder has been advocating for months for one of his patients to undergo a potentially life-saving procedure that uses minimally invasive methods instead of surgery. Unfortunately, their insurance has denied coverage for it, causing frustration for Dr. Tedder and unimaginable suffering for his patient. This situation is not unique - insurance companies are consistently denying reimbursement requests from physicians for minimally invasive procedures that aim to open up the arteries of patients suffering from Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D.). P.A.D., a disease that is more prevalent and deadlier than all cancers combined (excluding lung cancer), causes severe leg pain during physical activity and can even disrupt sleep due to restricted blood flow caused by plaque buildup in the arteries. Vascular specialists are urging insurance companies to cover the necessary procedures to alleviate the suffering and prevent limb loss, but these requests are being consistently denied. To talk about these denials, Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips are joined by Dr. Barry Tedder.

Get ready for the unscripted, candid stories of patients and their experiences along their journey with a disease more prevalent and deadlier than all cancers combined except for lung cancer. It's called Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), which is poor circulation in mainly the leg arteries. Juanita talks about her experience that led her to amputation without a PAD Diagnosis. Without a PAD diagnosis, she didn't know that her arteries need to and could potentially be opened up by an advanced skilled doctor. She explains, that if it weren't for her daughter finding Dr. Jihad Mustapha at Advanced Cardiac and Vascular Centers in Michigan on Twitter, she would've lost more than her toes. When doctors wanted to remove her leg below-the-knee, she got in her car and drove to Michigan where Dr. Mustapha was able to maintain her legs in tact for the last seven years. She urges everyone, especially the African American Community which is up to four times likely to have their leg amputated than others, to always get a second opinion from a doctor who will fight alongside you to keep you walking on two feet. You don't want to miss her powerful message also to the the medical community to take a stand against amputation and treat patients as if they were family. Karen and her husband Axel join hosts Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips, along with guest physician Dr. James Antezana, to drive home the importance of getting a second opinion as a title and white coat don't guarantee the best, most advanced limb salvage options. Karen was locked into an HMO in the San Francisco Bay Area with a Vascular Surgeon only a year out of fellowship who would only offer a surgical procedure known as an axillobifemoral bypass, which entails placing a tube from the shoulder to groin and splits off into both legs to bypass blockages in her aorta and iliac arteries. This procedure is rarely performed as frontline therapy and is considered palliative care in the UK because it has low durability and high mortality rate. A second opinion from her doctor's superior only affirmed the axillo bypass as the best strategy. A third opinion at a different facility within the HMO shed light on an even more dire issue, blocked renal arteries. But he declined to take over her care due to corporate politics. They found TheWayToMyHeart.org, which directed them to a known limb saver outside of the HMO, but the HMO decline coverage as 

Karen's care team was confident in their care plan. They decided to pursue the consult on their own dime and discovered Karen was months away from dialysis with a narrowing in her renal arteries upwards of 90-percent. Her HMO vascular surgeons denied the need to address her renal arteries, brushing the one 'shriveled' up kidney as likely a birth defect. They took money out of their life savings to not only have Dr. James Joye open up her renal arteries but also her aorta and renal arteries in a minimally invasive way using wires, balloons, and stents. A year later and she is continuing to thrive. Axel says, "I have my wife back."

This show started out with a conversation about Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D.) Awareness Month where I shared my experience meeting and presenting alongside Congressman Henry Cuellar and Mission Heart & Vascular Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Pedro Mego MD FSCAI about this circulation issue that is more prevalent and deadlier than all cancers combined except for lung cancer. It was part of the South Texas CLI (Critical Limb Ischemia, advanced stage of P.A.D.) and Limb Salvage Club’s (501c3) meeting of community leaders and media. During their discussion, they educated Cuellar’s constituents about a piece of legislation he’s pushing, which is the Amputation Reduction and Compassion Act. The ARC Act, if passed, would require Medicare and group insurance to cover initial testing for P.A.D. and that hospitals and surgeons perform a vascular assessment in order to get reimbursed for any amputation. Interventional Cardiologist, Dr. Robert Coronado, who was filling in during this episode for Dr. John Phillips, affirmed the need for this legislation for the sake of the patients, with more than 51% of overall P.A.D.-related amputations being preventable if only patients were diagnosed sooner and physicians performed a vascular assessment prior to offering amputation. One of the biggest risk factors for P.A.D. is diabetes and Kym adds that time is of the essence for action, with P.A.D. soon to become an epidemic as the American Diabetes Association now reports 1 in 2 U.S. Adults are either pre-diabetic or diabetic and 85% of all diabetic-related amputations as being preventable if only, as Dr. Coronado suggests, early diagnosis and proper vascular assessments in a timely manner.

The discussion about Peripheral Artery Disease transitioned into a conversation about another vascular disorder that is prevalent and often overlooked and undertreated, which is venous vascular disease as a caller expressed concern about not getting a definitive diagnosis and treatment to bring her relief for what she explains as venous-related leg pain. But the overriding message between this caller and another raises concern over patients feeling unheard and left to suffer without answers to what ails them. In an article from 2017 published in the Harvard Business Review titled "Creating Time for Genuine Patient Listening," the writers assert that the true healing potential of modern medicine relies on a resource that is currently being depleted: the time and capacity to genuinely listen to patients, understand their narratives, and grasp not only what ails them but also what truly matters to them. However, this approach seems to be more of an exception than a rule within today's healthcare system. Factors such as staffing deficits, mounting workloads accompanied by additional documentation requirements, and constant pressure from healthcare administrators demanding doctors do more with less are all hindering their ability to engage in meaningful conversations with patients.

This episode features Ashley and Douglas sharing their recent experiences during medical appointments. Due to these limitations within the healthcare system, both patients leave these encounters uncertain about whether they will live another day or if walking will remain possible for them. Dr. Coronado offers additional support and inspiration for Ashley and Douglas as they navigate through their health challenges. 

Ashley is a scientist with a PhD who was a former competitive athlete that now is in a wheelchair due to debilitating pain in her thighs when she stands up or begins to walk. Doctors acknowledge the potential for iliac vein compression in both legs but keep sending her away from consults without definitive answers and any hope for relief.  Dr. Coronado validates Ashley's experience by explaining that venous vascular disease is not only the most prevalent vascular disorder worldwide but also frequently overlooked and misdiagnosed. He urges her to continue to get additional opinions until she finds the answers she deserves so she can get her life back.

In another case, Douglas recounts his encounter with a heart surgeon whom he traveled over three hours to see regarding test results indicating that his heart was functioning at only 50% capacity and the presence of an arterial blood clot in his heart. However, during their scheduled 20-minute consultation, the surgeon abruptly left to take a phone call and returned, merely allowing five minutes with Douglas where he hastily prescribed additional heart medications and schedule another test for one month later. As for Douglas, he shares his experience with a heart surgeon whom he drove more than three hours to see to discuss test results that indicated his heart was only pumping at 50% of what it should and the presence of a blood clot somewhere in his arteries. Within moments of beginning the scheduled 20-minute consult, the surgeon left to answer a call and when he came back in the room, only devoted five minutes to ordering some additional heart medications and scheduling another test for a month later. He wouldn't spend additional time with Douglas listening to, addressing, and easing concerns about dizziness that resulted in a fall earlier that day, 48 episodes reported in another heart monitor test, as well as continued tachycardia and frequent activation of his defibrillator each day - all leaving Douglas with an impending sense of mortality. Dr. Coronado assured Douglas that shouldn't be the normalcy of a physician, especially one that is addressing life-threatening coronary issues. He also suggested a trip to the emergency room for critical bloodwork and additional timely imaging if symptoms continue.

The moral of this episode is the critical importance of relationship-centered communication as critical to saving life and limb. 

The most vulnerable populations suffering from poor circulation, known as Peripheral Artery Disease Who are at-risk of amputation, are those living in Medical Deserts. A "medical desert" describes a community lacking access to medical necessities, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. For the PAD patient, that medical necessity is a vascular specialist. One-third of hospitals across the U.S have postings for vascular surgeons, and because of that patients are progressing to a limb-threatening stage of the, known as critical limb ischemia, where the threat of amputation is real without timely, effective, limb-saving care. If only there was a way for vascular specialists in other areas to help physicians in medical deserts better care for these patients? That's the Idea behind Zivian Health. Co-Founder Dr.Rafid Fadul, an Intensive Care Pulmonologist, shares how Zivian Health is striving to improve collaboration amongst physicians across the globe. By connecting physicians across geographical boundaries and leveraging technology-driven solutions like telemedicine, Zivian Health aims to Bridge the gap between medical deserts and areas with greater access to specialized care.

Insufficient nourishment is responsible for 20% of deaths worldwide (INHME) and contributes to a range of chronic illnesses. The costs associated with unhealthy eating habits have surpassed $11 trillion, exceeding the value of the global food industry, which stands at $9 trillion according to WEF reports. While our health care system has yet to find an effective approach to improving poor dietary habits on a large scale,fortunately, technological advancements are bridging the gap by offering more tailored and practical guidance for individuals' daily nutritional needs. Innit, a technology company, has introduced FoodLM™,the world's first Generative AI platform that incorporates expert validation of dieting practices, cooking methods, and healthy eating requirements. Through FoodLM (Language Model), Innit addresses the pressing need for reliable AI solutions in the global food industry. This innovative platform enables grocery retailers, brands,and healthcare providers to deliver AI-powered food services with unprecedented personalization and precision for consumers. CEO Kevin Brown joins hosts Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips in a conversation about the capabilities of FoodLM. They explore how this technology goes beyond simple keyword search to understand user intent, offering retailers an advanced semantic search solution.By leveraging FoodLM, brands can deliver personalized AI assistance to consumers throughout their entire culinary journey - from choosing products to cooking them. Additionally, for healthcare providers aiding patients with chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, FoodLM offers science-backed support for healthy eating and using food as a form of medicine.

Cotton gauze, Telfa pads, Raytec sponges, lap pads and surgical towels release lint that can put patients at risk. Significant complications have been associated with lint being introduced into the body. Norm "Fuzzy" Furbush is the Founder/CEO of Syntervention that develops innovative products that reduce lint contamination, procedure time, and overall costs to the hospital. He talks to hosts Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips about how he's come up with these inventions and offers advice to others who want to bring healthcare devices to market.

The Centers for Disease Control reports that in 2021, 1 in 6 deaths from cardiovascular disease was due to stroke. In fact, some in the U.S. has a stroke every 40 seconds and dies of a stroke every 3 minutes and 14 seconds. A stroke occurs when a vessel that supplies blood to the brain is blocked and prevents brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients. What are the symptoms of a stroke? How do you prevent a stroke? How do you know if your local hospital can effectively treat a stroke? That's we are talking about on this week's show. 

Engaging in a mere five-minute daily fitness routine, termed as "strength training for your breathing muscles," can significantly lower blood pressure and enhance certain vascular health indicators. This is equally or even more effective than aerobic workouts or medicines, according to fresh research from University of Colorado Boulder. Sid Garza-Hillman, Wellness Director for California, luxury, plant-based eco-resort The Stanford Inn along the Mendocino Coast joins hosts Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips to share the evolution of eco-tourism with an increased focus on improving your mind, body, and spirit while reducing your carbon footprint on vacation. Sid walks us through a powerful breathing exercise and offers new insights into the latest research on eating vegan, but healthy.

Chronic illnesses can be classified under multiple umbrellas. But allergies are only official classified as an immune disorder. Should allergies be classified as a blood disorder as the histamine response occurs in the blood stream? Histamine is the chemical that is found in mast cells. When they leave the mast cells,histamines boost blood flow in the area of your body the allergen affected which can lead to certain symptoms depending on the part of the body where the histamine release occurs. For some it can lead to significant heart palpitations and anaphylactic shock, which can impact the circulatory system. In this episode Nurse Janara Iman-Thomas is going to talk about how pollens and foods get into the blood stream to cause allergies. She will share her passion for helping patients diagnose these allergies and prevent them from overburdening the immune system and reduce the inflammatory response in our bodies.
⦁    What are allergies. a histamine response in your blood.
    - Once in blood stream – body knows what belongs there...
    - Things that shouldn’t belong there... it has an immune response
    - Body creates an antibody against those things....
    - Sends out a little army of histamines and says attack.
    - If it’s the first time... then your immune system handles ok.
    - Then the next time it sees it – it is going to attack bigger.
    - Building up a response to the point where you start having symptoms.
    - It means your immune system is functioning, but overload.
    - That’s where severe allergies happen.
⦁    How can allergies impact your cardiovascular system. Heart palpitations, high blood pressure, lack of oxygen in the blood
⦁    What are the different types of allergies - inhalants vs foods
    - let's talk about how they each get into the bloodstream
⦁    How do allergies occur? how do they evolve over time.
    - many want to know in detail how they go from a tree and mold or plant to food you eat
⦁    Advances in diagnosis
⦁    Advances in treatments

Cardiovascular diseases and allergic diseases occur commonly in developed countries. They lead to serious health complications and significantly impair the quality of life. Both types of diseases are characterized by excessive inflammatory processes. Recent studies suggest a link between allergy and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, resulting from over activity of the immune system in allergic diseases and increased synthesis of pro-inflammatory mediators, which has been well documented in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.Data from the National Health Interview Survey demonstrated adults with a history of allergic disorders have an increased risk of high blood pressure and coronary heart disease, with the highest risk seen in Black male adults. The study is being presented at ACC Asia 2022 Together with the Korean Society of Cardiology Spring Conference on April 15-16, 2022."For patients with allergic disorders, routine evaluation of blood pressure and routine examination for coronary heart disease should be given by clinicians to ensure early treatments are given to those with hypertension or coronary heart disease," said Yang Guo, PhD, Department of Dermatology at the Institute of Dermatology at Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, and the study's lead author.

Once a procedure is performed to improve blood flow in the legs for a circulation issue known as Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), it starts the clock for the next one. PAD is a progressive disease in which the best treatment lay in patient compliance to appropriate medications and lifestyle modifications, including smoking cessation, diet, and diabetes management. That's why Interventional Cardiologists Dr. John Phillips and Dr. Ashish Gupta discuss the importance of ensuring all conservative options are exhausted prior to any attempt to restore blood flow manually using wires, balloons, and stents, or bypass. If conservative approaches aren't enough to relieve pain, cramping, or help heal a wound that has developed on the toe or foot, they say it's at that point guidelines indicate an intervention or bypass may be necessary. But it's important to have all risk factors mitigated prior to a procedure in order to extend its durability and time before another procedure may need to be performed again. This discussion comes on the heels of recent string of patients with moderate PAD presenting to patient advocacy organization The Way To My Heart with intervention and bypass surgery as frontline treatment prior to frontline treatment of medication and lifestyle modifications as per guidelines set forth by the Society for Vascular Surgery and American Heart Association.

Getting diagnosed with a constriction or blockage in the arteries that supply blood to your brain can be quite daunting, as Nancy from South Carolina can confirm. She discovered she had carotid artery disease,which put her in danger of having a stroke. The carotid arteries, one on each side of the neck, are crucial blood vessels that provide blood to the brain, neck, and face. About one-third of all stroke cases are associated with diseased carotids. This disease arises when fatty residues, known as plaque, accumulate in these arteries. Alarmingly, in its initial stages, this disease often goes unnoticed due to a lack of symptoms. It only becomes noticeable when it becomes severe enough to deprive the brain of oxygen, resulting in a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA). Lucky for Nancy, she discovered her condition early as she was under close observation following a heart attack. During a routine medical examination, a Physician Assistant detected a bruit, a turbulent flow in her neck arteries, using a stethoscope. In today's episode, Nancy shares her journey from diagnosis to receiving advanced treatment. Also joining us is the globally recognized Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Ehrin Armstrong, who discusses treatment guidelines and ongoing debates that could alter how and when doctors can offer more than just medication to enhance blood flow and avoid severe complications.