Physicians at San Ramon Regional Medical Center have a new treatment option that could be a gamechanger for patients with irregular heartbeat, commonly known as AFib. For appropriate patients, the Amulet procedure may reduce their risk of stroke and mean they no longer need blood-thinning medication. San Ramon Regional Medical Center is the first hospital in the Tri-Valley area to offer the innovative treatment.

AFib, or atrial fibrillation, is known to increase a person’s risk for stroke. Blood thinners are typically prescribed to prevent blood clots in the heart that can travel to the brain, causing a stroke. Strokes caused by complications from AFib tend to be more severe than strokes with other underlying causes, according to the CDC.

On April 20, interventional cardiologist Richard Chang, MD, FACC, FSCAI, performed the hospital’s first, minimally invasive Amulet procedure on a 74-year-old patient. The Abbott Amulet Left Atrial Appendage Occluder is a tiny metal device that is implanted via catheterization to seal off the patient’s left atrial appendage, a small, naturally occurring pocket connected to the upper left chamber of the heart and a major source of blood clots in people with AFib. The dual-seal technology device is designed to alleviate the need for blood-thinning medication following the procedure.

A previous option for AFib patients uses a single component to seal the appendage and requires blood-thinning drugs during healing and additional patient monitoring to ensure closure, explained Dr. Chang, one of several cardiologists offering the Amulet procedure at San Ramon Regional.

“Our entire cardiovascular team at San Ramon Regional Medical Center is focused on stroke prevention and advancing patient care and we are excited to be able to offer this new treatment for patients in our community who are at risk for ischemic stroke due to AFib,” said Rob Anderson, CEO of the hospital.

Facts About AFib

• AFib is the most common type of irregular heart rhythm.
• Over 5 million Americans are living with AFib today.
• More than 12 million are projected to have AFib by 2030.
• About 15% to 20% of people who have strokes have AFib.
• Untreated AFib doubles the risk of heart-related deaths and is associated with a fivefold increased risk for stroke.

For more information on services available at San Ramon Regional Medical Center, visit www.sanramonmedctr.com.