LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, claiming approximately 700,000 lives each year.
Many patients who have undergone these procedures report improved quality of life.
To raise awareness in honor of Valentine’s Day, Mercy Health-St. Rita’s Structural Heart Center held a celebration for Heart Month, spotlighting the groundbreaking work of their cardiology department in replacing and repairing damaged heart valves. Many patients who have undergone these procedures report improved quality of life.
“Well, I needed a new aortic valve, and they put a new aortic valve in my heart here at this hospital. I don't have any pain, and I can breathe again. So when you don't have heart pain and you can breathe again, those are two real big benefits of life,” says Neal Whitney, who received a new heart valve in December 2024.
“It's a lot better. I can do things that I couldn't do before, like walking and different stuff; before, I just laid around all the time,” says Diana Holman, who had a new valve placed in 2023.
“I feel good, better, a lot better. Yeah, then breathe. I can walk around a little better,” says Mark Holman, who had stents put in by Dr. Sandeep Patel.
The reporter asks, “What kind of procedure did you have done?”
“It was called a MitraClip. Dr. Patel, this is the first time in the world that this kind of surgery was done. I told him, I said, Thanks. What do you say when somebody saves your life? That man's amazing, amazing,” says Dennis Meister, who underwent MitraClip Mitral Valve Repair in 2024.
“Now, I've really surpassed over 1000, over 1200 patients taken care of at St. Rita's and have had very high-risk interventional procedures and have gotten back to their quality of life. It’s in one or two days, or sometimes even less. And since we've been able to provide this service, these patients are now able to function without having the comorbidities of having open heart surgery and get back to their normal quality of life at such a fast pace,” says Dr. Sandeep Patel, cardiologist at Mercy Health-St. Rita’s.
National "Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day" is February 22nd.
