Heart Device Can Replace Blood Thinners and Prevent Stroke for Those with AFib

People with atrial fibrillation (AFib), or an irregular heartbeat, have traditionally relied on blood thinning medications to help prevent blood clots and strokes. However, these medications, also called anticoagulants, come with possible side effects and interactions with certain foods and other medications. Now there is a breakthrough called the Watchman device, or left atrial appendage closure procedure, that can reduce the risk of stroke in AFib patients without the need for blood thinners.

Washington Township Medical Foundation Interventional Cardiologist Harsh Agrawal, MD, will present “The Watchman Procedure: A New Approach to Stroke Prevention,” on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 5 p.m. Watch this seminar to learn about the Watchman procedure, how the device works, and the benefits for those who receive it. Dr. Agrawal is an acclaimed interventional cardiologist who has published numerous clinical cardiology research papers. He holds an impressive eight American board certifications, including internal medicine, cardiovascular medicine, interventional cardiology, endovascular interventions, echocardiography, cardiac CT, nuclear cardiology, and vascular ultrasound.

You can view his presentation on:

• Facebook.com/WashingtonHosp
• YouTube.com/whhsInHealth

Tune in to watch the seminar debut at the above time and date or beginning the following day on the Hospital’s YouTube channel.

Watchman Device and its Benefits

The Watchman is a small, parachute-shaped medical device that closes off the left atrial appendage, which is a small pouch that extends from the heart’s upper left chamber. In people with AFib, blood can pool in this appendage and form clots that can then travel to the brain, causing a stroke. A surgeon inserts the Watchman into position through a small incision in the groin using a thin, flexible tube called a catheter. The procedure takes about an hour, and patients generally go home the same day, or after an overnight hospital stay.

“A primary benefit of the Watchman device is it can reduce the risk of stroke in people with atrial fibrillation, allowing them to stop taking blood thinning medications,” explained Dr. Agrawal. “This is especially promising for people who should avoid taking blood thinners, such as those with high blood pressure, or very active people and those with a higher risk of falling, since they face increased risk of excessive bleeding that can come with taking anticoagulants.”

People with the Watchman device don’t need to avoid certain foods, like they would if they were on blood thinners. These foods include fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamin K, such as broccoli, spinach, and asparagus, as well as certain fruit juices like cranberry, grapefruit, and pomegranate.

Washington Hospital Healthcare System began offering the Watchman procedure to eligible AFib patients last year. Now, local people have access to this proven, minimally invasive heart procedure that boasts groundbreaking results. After 45 days, 92% of Watchman patients can stop taking blood thinners, and that number increases to 99% one year after the procedure.

“Minimally invasive heart procedures like the Watchman require small incisions to access the heart, unlike traditional open-heart surgery,” explained Dr. Agrawal. “These techniques typically result in less pain, blood loss and chance of infection for patients which means a much shorter hospital stay and recuperation time,” he continued.

For more information on the comprehensive array of cardiac services offered at Washington Hospital, go to whhs.com/heart.

To learn more about Dr. Agrawal, go to mywtmf.com.