As the tuba player in his band, Frank sets the bass tone for every other instrument, for every song.
“I enjoy being in the New Horizons Band at Kennesaw State University. There, I’m part of a community who loves and supports one another,” Frank said. “I love playing the tuba because I can visualize the people who played before me. And it constantly reminds me that being part of a community makes life worthwhile.” So, when his heart lost its pace, skipping beats and banging against his chest, he knew there was something wrong with the most important instrument in his body.
“I was working out on the elliptical at Wellstar Health Place, and the heart rate monitor on the machine was jumping to 200 beats per minute. I knew something was wrong,” Frank said. “I was already a patient of Dr. Paul Simonoff’s, so I called his office and he took me in right away.”
“Frank’s heart was racing,” said Dr. Simonoff. “He was also experiencing heart palpitations, fatigue and shortness of breath. That’s when I discovered his heart was out of rhythm.” Dr. Simonoff diagnosed him with atrial fibrillation (AFib), which occurs when the upper chambers of the heart—known as atria—beat irregularly and fail to pump blood efficiently to the rest of the body.
The symptoms of AFib are sporadic. You might notice a skipped heartbeat, and then feel a thud or thump, followed by your heart racing for an extended period. You might feel fluttering or jumping, mimicking the effects of a heart attack.
“Dr. Simonoff had to do other diagnoses and perform more tests before I could receive electrical cardioversion shock treatment,” Frank said. Electrical cardioversion shock treatment is a procedure that restores a normal heart rhythm in people with certain types of abnormal heartbeats, Dr. Simonoff explained.
“It often takes only one shock to restore the heart to a regular rhythm,” Dr. Simonoff said, noting that the patient is under general anesthesia during the procedure. “They’re asleep and don’t feel a thing. They’ll wake up from the procedure and ask, ‘So, when are we getting started?,’ and it’s all done. Their heart is already back in rhythm.”
“I haven’t had a problem ever since then, and I’ve been taking my medication to prevent it from happening,” Frank announced. “It’s fully under control.” Dr. Simonoff sees these symptoms frequently and knew that the AFib Clinic at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center could help Frank. This highly-specialized team provides a thorough clinical evaluation of patients with AFib.
To this day, this is still the only comprehensive and dedicated atrial fibrillation clinic in Georgia. Frank now manages his AFib with medication, regular exercise and checkups. “Frank is doing great,” Dr. Simonoff smiled. “I see him on regularly and his heart has remained a steady rhythm. Our goal is to have patients like Frank be as healthy as possible so they can get back to their lives.”
Thankfully, Frank resumed his place in the New Horizons Band without skipping a beat.
“I don't think we are thankful enough to our doctors or to people who work in healthcare. We are here because they're there,” said Frank. “We’re here because they've done their job and they're dedicated.”
Heart of the Band
Frank&LlenCare
Published On August 11, 2020
Last updated 02:22 PM January 24, 2024
Frank plays the tuba in the New Horizons Band.
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Highlights
Stroke prevention and the future of stroke care
This article was originally published on
Atlanta Business Chronicle on May 19, 2023.
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. The Georgia Department of Public Health reports the state had the 12th highest stroke death rate in the country. Georgia is also part of the “stroke belt,” an area of the southeastern United States with stroke death rates 30% higher than the rest of the nation.
As the leading — but preventable — cause of disability, stroke can happen at any age.
Stroke is a medical emergency, meaning the blood flow to an area of the brain is cut off, depriving brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients. When this happens, brain cells start to die and abilities controlled by that area of the brain, such as speech or muscle control, are lost.
New drugs and new advanced treatments — such as the Tigertriever and Artemis — are helping reduce the death and disability impact of stroke, as well as comprehensive care programs and innovative hospital partnerships that expand stroke services into rural areas.
Physicians from Wellstar Health System and the CEO of a hospital in northeast Georgia joined Atlanta Business Chronicle to discuss stroke prevention and the future of stroke care.
Panelists & moderator
- Dr. Rishi Gupta, Endovascular Neurologist and Co-Medical Director of Neuro Care
- Dr. Ashis Tayal, Vascular Neurologist, Wellstar, Director of Neuro Care Network
- Van Loskoski, CEO, Stephens County Hospital
- David Rubinger, Market President & Publisher, Atlanta Business Chronicle; Moderator
What is stroke, screening and secondary prevention
David Rubinger: Dr. Tayal, set the stage for us about the definition of stroke.
Dr. Ashis Tayal: A stroke is a sudden injury of the brain due to blockage or rupture of an artery in the brain. Injuries to the brain and disability can vary significantly.
The most common, ischemic stroke injury, is due to obstruction of an artery that causes a loss of blood flow to a critical part of the brain which damages the brain rapidly.
The other type of stroke is hemorrhagic stroke, where there’s a rupture of an artery, bleeding into the brain, or the surfaces of the brain, and that is called an intracerebral hemorrhage or a subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Rubinger: I think Americans have become a little better educated as to who’s at risk for stroke, but why don’t you walk us through that. Who would be a potential stroke candidate?
Tayal: High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the most common risk factor for both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes. High blood pressure is an extremely common but controllable condition. Almost 80% of people have hypertension as they’re getting older.
Other risk factors include diabetes associated with elevated blood sugars causing accelerated blockage of arteries and high cholesterol, which can be related to diet and genetics.
Atrial fibrillation, a common heart arrhythmia that occurs as people get older, also places people at risk for the most severe and disabling types of strokes. And plaque buildup in specific arteries of the neck and brain also leads to an increased risk of stroke.
Smoking is another risk factor. Many adults still smoke despite a lot of progress in stroke treatment, and smoking puts people at risk for different types of stroke.
Rubinger: What about atmospheric things like stress and other areas like that? How does that play into it? Or do those things manifest themselves because of the other underlying physical conditions?
Tayal: I don’t view stress, in and of itself, as a risk factor for stroke. I think that’s more related to people’s environments and their own personalities and how they respond to stress. I do think people who are under undue stress can have poor lifestyle habits, and those poor lifestyle habits, whether poor eating habits, smoking, weight gain or lack of exercise, can lead to conditions that increase the risk for stroke.
Rubinger: So how is the healthcare system doing treating strokes? Do you believe that what’s going on at the primary care provider’s office is helping or do we have a way to go?
Tayal: In the United States, preventive care has improved the treatment of risk factors that lead to stroke, but communities must maintain routine checkups as many of the risk factors are silent.
There are improved treatments for hypertension, more aggressive treatment for diabetes, and more efforts at smoking cessation. Just the fact that we treat hypertension better than we did a generation ago has had a great impact on lowering the prevalence of stroke.
That being said, some of the most exciting work on stroke has often been done in the area of acute treatment of stroke with clot-busting drugs, catheter-based treatments and medications to protect the brain during an acute injury.
Rubinger: Has pharmacology gotten better in terms of the hypertension medicines that are out there? Have anti-cholesterol medicines improved in recent years?
Tayal: In the past, healthcare providers were often undertreating people with hyperlipidemia — high cholesterol — and not fully appreciating the benefits of significant reductions in cholesterol levels. For example, we’ve learned that driving cholesterol down into much lower ranges under 55 mg/dL can benefit our patients who have vascular disease as a cause for their stroke.
In the fight against high cholesterol, newer medications that prevent the absorption of cholesterol are now available. Recent developments have led to the discovery of a new underutilized class of drugs called PCSK-9 inhibitors that are highly effective.
Highlights
Commemorate Cancer Survivors Day with Wellstar
Wellstar supports people with cancer throughout their journeys, from early screenings to diagnosis to treatment. But our encouragement and dedication to delivering world-class, compassionate care doesn’t end in remission.
Across our system, Wellstar honors the bravery and strength of survivors every day, rejoicing in each milestone. This National Cancer Survivors Day, June 1, 2025, we are proud to pay tribute to the people who have conquered cancer and offer hope to those still fighting. This year’s Cancer Survivors Day theme—Strike Out Cancer—exemplifies our commitment to being a steadfast source of encouragement for cancer survivors and fighters across Georgia.
“On Cancer Survivors Day, we reflect on our patients’ journeys and cherish victories over cancer. We also offer compassion and support for people currently fighting cancer, so they and their loved ones know they’re not alone,” said Wellstar Director of Oncology Professional Practices Melissa Higdon.
Several Wellstar facilities will host events—and you can be a part of the celebration!
Northwest Georgia Oncology Centers in Cartersville
June 5, 2025
10 AM to 3 PM
100 Market Place Blvd., Cartersville
Contact Mary Ellen Smither at [email protected] or (678) 858-1146.
Wellstar Cobb Medical Center
May 30, 2025
12 to 2 PM
4040 Hospital West Drive, Austell
Behind the building in the garden and parking lot area
Contact Ashley Dapremont at [email protected] or (470) 732-4523.
Wellstar Douglas Medical Center
June 7, 2025
11 AM to 2 PM
8954 Hospital Drive, Douglasville
Surgical services lobby
Contact Diane Harris at [email protected] or (470) 644-5411.
Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center
June 7, 2025
11 AM to 2 PM
320 Kennestone Hospital Blvd., Marietta
First floor
Required RSVP, contact Nancy Page at [email protected] or (470) 793-7470.
Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center
June 1, 2025
2 to 4 PM
3000 Hospital Blvd., Roswell
Main lobby in hospital
Contact Sarah Bentley at [email protected] or (770) 751-2556.
Wellstar Paulding Medical Center
June 1, 2025
144 Bill Carruth Parkway, Hiram
Second floor auditorium
Contact Kellie Mitchell at [email protected] or (470) 644-8106.
Wellstar Spalding Medical Center
May 28, 2025
12 to 2 PM
Drive-thru event
608 South 8th St., Griffin
Women’s Center
Contact Sherry Connell at [email protected] or (470) 935-5526.
Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center
June 6, 2025
10 AM to 12 PM
111 Medical Drive, LaGrange
Enoch Callaway Cancer Center
Contact Stephanie Hand at [email protected].