Silver Cross Slows Down Tinley Park Man's Fast-Beating Heart

Tinley Park Resident Michael Trovato, Jr. stands with some of the staff from Silver Cross Hospital, who cared for him six weeks ago during his heart ablation procedure to treat his Atrial Fibrillation (A-Fib). From left to right are Brendan Casey, Manager of Cardiology, Endoscopy, and Interventional Radiology; Cindy Jansen, RT; Sunil Shroff, M.D., internal medicine and cardiovascular disease physician; patient Michael Trovato, Jr.; Peyton Webb, RN; and Bob Dominik, RT.

By Tracy Simons | Silver Cross Hospital

For 59-year-old Michael Trovato, Jr., life began to dramatically change 13 months ago. His heart began racing, he couldn’t sleep, his energy level was low, and he suffered from severe shortness of breath. Life as he knew it began to stop.

“As the months went by, I couldn’t even golf or bowl any more — two hobbies that I avidly have done for years,” said the Tinley Park resident. “My health declined so poorly that I was unable to work 6 months prior to having my heart ablation procedure at Silver Cross Hospital. But now, I’m thrilled to report that I am a new man thanks to the fantastic care I received from Dr. Shroff and the staff at Silver Cross.

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“My heart rate has slowed down, I’m sleeping 6 to 7 hours a night and I’m enjoying an active lifestyle once again.”

Trovato’s family practice physician referred him to Dr. Sunil Shroff, who immediately diagnosed Trovato with Atrial Fibrillation (A-Fib).

For the over 3 million people in the U.S. who live with A-Fib, every day life is a challenge. And for Michael Trovato, Jr., everyday life became overwhelming.

“After trying various medications that didn’t offer me any relief, I knew I needed to do something to improve my health,” said Trovato. “I am so glad to have met such an experienced and knowledgeable doctor as Dr. Shroff who offered me a better solution by performing an ablation of my heart.”

What Is Atrial Flutter/Atrial Fibrillation?

Electrical system problems of the heart may make the atria beat faster than normal.

“If the atria beats quickly, but still evenly, it is called atrial flutter. If the atria beats very quickly and unevenly, it is called atrial fibrillation, which was what Michael suffered from for over a year,” says Dr. Sunil Shroff, cardiologist on staff at Silver Cross Hospital who specializes in electrophysiology.

With atrial fibrillation, cells in the atria (upper chambers of the heart) send fast, irregular and uncoordinated electrical signals to the ventricles (lower chambers of the heart). These extra signals make the atria beat very quickly and unevenly. As a result, the atria may beat so fast and unevenly that it may quiver instead of contracting fully for each heartbeat.

“If the atria does not contract, it doesn’t move enough blood into the ventricles. This is what leads to symptoms such as dizziness and weakness,” said Dr. Shroff. “So blood that isn’t kept moving can pool and form clots in the atria. These clots can move into other parts of the body and cause serious problems, such as a stroke.”

Common symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation are palpitations (a fluttering, fast heartbeat), weakness or tiredness, shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, dizziness or lightheadedness, or fainting spells.

What Causes This To Occur?

Hypertension (high blood pressure) and valvular heart disease — especially mitral stenois and mitral insufficiency — increase the risk of atrial fibrillation. Many people (up to 50% of patients) get A-Fib after open-heart surgery. Extreme emotional or physical stress such as severe infections, severe pain, and thyroid problems can trigger A-Fib as well. Some cases have been reported where caffeine (in coffee, tea, sodas) and chocolate (in large amounts) also trigger episodes of A-fib. Also, many times atrial fibrillation has no known precipitating cause.

Free Lecture

Come learn more about A-Fib and the latest treatment options available such as ablation of the heart at a free lecture hosted by Silver Cross Hospital and Dr. Shroff. Slowing Down A Fast Beating Heart will be held Wednesday, Dec. 10 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Silver Cross Hospital Conference Center, Pavilion A, 1890 Silver Cross Blvd, New Lenox.

To register, call 1-888-660-HEAL (4325) or visit silvercross.org.

Sunil Shroff, M.D., is board certified in Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology and Cardiovascular Disease. He completed undergraduate studies in Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University. Dr. Shroff earned his medical degree at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, where he also completed his residency in Internal Medicine. He completed his Cardiology fellowship and Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Shroff has performed research involving the mechanisms and treatment of atrial fibrillation. He has presented his work at major cardiology society meeting and has authored numerous publications in peer reviewed medical journals. Dr. Shroff is a three-time recipient of the Medical Resident Student Teaching Award and has received research awards. His office is located with Heartland Cardiovascular Center, 1890 Silver Cross Boulevard, Suite 240, New Lenox. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Shroff, call (815) 740-1900.

About Silver Cross Cardiovascular Care

Silver Cross Hospital brings together advanced technology and the finest medical professionals to create an innovative and efficient approach to heart care. From the hospital’s state-of-the-art Cardiac Catheterizationsuites, to its accredited programs for Echocardiography and Cardiac Rehab, Silver Cross offers a wide range of comprehensive services to expertly diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate heart disease. Silver Cross also offers an aggressive heart disease prevention program that consists of regular cardiovascular screenings and health education classes on topics blood pressure management, diabetes, weight loss and more. For more information, visit www.silvercross.org or call (815) 300-7089.

About Silver Cross Hospital

Silver Cross Hospital is a not-for-profit health care provider serving Will County and southwest suburban communities since 1895. Silver Cross has been recognized as a Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals National Award winner for seven consecutive years and as a Hospital of Choice by the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers. With nearly 4,000 employees, physicians and volunteers, Silver Cross operates a 289-bed acute care hospital and 5 satellite facilities providing outpatient services and physician offices. Silver Cross opened a state-of-the-art replacement hospital in 2012 at I-355 and Route 6 in New Lenox. In 2013, Silver Cross provided over $48 million in charity care and other community benefits. To learn more about Silver Cross Hospital or a referral to a physician on staff, visit www.silvercross.org or call 1-888-660-HEAL (4325). Physicians on Silver Cross Hospital’s Medical Staff have expertise in their areas of practice to meet the needs of patients seeking their care. These physicians are independent practitioners on the Medical Staff and are not the agents or employees of Silver Cross Hospital. They treat patients based upon their independent medical judgment and they bill patients separately for their services.