Denny Erwin has all the time led a busy life. Along with serving as billing supervisor for Louisiana Cardiology Associates, part of Our Girl of the Lake Doctor Group in Baton Rouge, he additionally enjoys spending time along with his household, working in his yard and exercising regularly. These actions all the time got here simply for Erwin, so after they started to trigger him ache, it was a discouraging scenario.
“Every time I’d start to mow the garden or spend a couple of minutes on the treadmill, I’d begin having chest pains,” Erwin recalled. “The ache would improve fairly quickly after about 10 minutes or much less every time I’d begin to exert myself or put stress on my system.”
Initially, Erwin thought the ache was brought on by a gastrointestinal downside similar to indigestion. However, when he visited his physician, he discovered that it was extra doubtless a cardiac downside and never a GI subject.
Denny Erwin
“I had by no means had a coronary heart assault or coronary heart issues, so I feel I used to be in denial,” he mentioned.
Erwin made an appointment at Louisiana Cardiology Associates and for the primary time, arrived as a affected person as a substitute of as an worker. He underwent a treadmill stress check that confirmed abnormalities. Additional exams performed by Dr. N. Joseph Deumite confirmed that he had a 100% blockage in his proper coronary artery.
“Thankfully, in my case, some tiny arteries had grown off of the realm across the blockage, and people small arteries equipped simply sufficient blood stream to in all probability preserve me from having a coronary heart assault,” Erwin mentioned. “That doesn’t occur with all people, so I feel that was a God factor that occurred to me. I’m very grateful it did.”
After the blockage was found, Dr. Bryan Hathorn of Louisiana Cardiology Associates carried out a stent process on Erwin, utilizing a much less invasive methodology via his wrist. Except for the blockage, Dr. Hathorn instructed Erwin that the remainder of his coronary heart was in good situation.
Dr. Bryan Smith Hathorn of Louisiana Cardiology Associates
“Since I had the stent, I’ve had no extra points and no extra chest pains,” Erwin mentioned. “That was in 2019, so it’s been over two years now. I’m capable of work exterior, go to the gymnasium and do every little thing that I need to do with completely no downside. I might inform a distinction instantly.”
Actually, the process went so easily that Erwin obtained the stent late one week and returned to work the next Monday. Since he already exercised a number of occasions every week, he was capable of proceed his treadmill periods with out going to a particular cardiac rehab program.
Erwin mentioned he’s grateful that Dr. Deumite and Dr. Hathorn had been capable of work as a workforce to find and resolve his downside. At Louisiana Cardiology Associates, there’s a collaborative and teamwork strategy to treating sufferers that permits cardiologists to additional specialise in sure procedures.
Dr. Norman Joseph Deumite of Louisiana Cardiology Associates
“I actually consider that each of them prevented me from having a critical coronary heart assault and will have saved my life,” Erwin mentioned. “I feel everybody right here is the most effective at what they do and I’d advocate them to anybody. I used to be by no means anxious about having the process carried out. I’ve a really robust religion, so I knew God would care for me and I knew I used to be in good palms with my physicians.”
Erwin mentioned his solely remorse is that he didn’t meet with a heart specialist when he first started having chest pains.
“There’s no disgrace in having an issue and getting it checked out,” he mentioned. “It’s important to concentrate to what’s occurring together with your physique. If one thing will not be regular, it’s your physique’s means of telling you that one thing will not be proper.”
At Louisiana Cardiology Associates, dozens of board-certified cardiologists specialize within the prevention, prognosis, therapy and rehabilitation of a full vary of coronary heart situations, utilizing superior imaging and probably the most minimally invasive methods out there. The workforce has expertise in methods together with belly aorta ultrasound, cardio-oncology, carotid ultrasound, echocardiograms, nuclear imaging, pulmonary operate exams, treadmill stress exams, venous ultrasounds and way more.
To make an appointment with Louisiana Cardiology Associates, name 225-767-3900. For extra info, go to ololrmc.com/lca.