[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/12\/watchman-altoona\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/12\/watchman-altoona\/","headline":"An Alternative to Blood Thinners: Learn About the WATCHMAN\u2122","name":"An Alternative to Blood Thinners: Learn About the WATCHMAN\u2122","description":"Updated January 2021 UPMC offers the WATCHMAN\u2122, an innovative heart procedure that reduces the risk of stroke \u2014 and major bleeding, too. Blood thinners save thousands of lives every year by reducing the risk of blood clots. They\u2019re widely prescribed to people with atrial fibrillation (AFib) \u2014 the most common type of heart arrhythmia. But […]","datePublished":"2019-12-13","dateModified":"2021-06-18","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/heart-vascular","name":"Heart and Vascular Institute","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/heart-vascular","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/heart-and-vascular-institute\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/meld_blg.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/meld_blg.jpg","height":327,"width":754},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/12\/watchman-altoona\/","about":["Health Topics A-Z","Heart and Vascular Health"],"wordCount":638,"articleBody":"Updated January 2021UPMC offers the WATCHMAN\u2122, an innovative heart procedure that reduces the risk of stroke \u2014 and major bleeding, too.Blood thinners save thousands of lives every year by reducing the risk of blood clots. They\u2019re widely prescribed to people with atrial fibrillation (AFib) \u2014 the most common type of heart arrhythmia. But these drugs come with certain risks, especially as we age.\u201cOver time, people on blood thinners have a much higher chance of major bleeding after a fall or accident,\u201d says George Jabbour, MD, medical director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute (HVI) at UPMC Altoona.Blood thinners prevent clots from forming, but they can cause problems. \u201cA minor injury for most people can pose a serious threat to people on blood thinners,\u201d says Dr. Jabbour. \u201cAnd for older adults who are at a much greater risk of falling, such bleeding can be life-threatening.\u201dIn 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the implantable device proven to reduce stroke risk in people with AFib that is not caused by a heart valve problem.The procedure became available in 2019 at multiple UPMC hospitals including UPMC Passavant.\u201cThis is cutting-edge care. Being able to offer it to our patients here in the North Hills community is a significant service,\u201d says Sandeep Jain, MD, director of the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute\u2019s Center for Atrial Fibrillation and the UPMC Passavant electrophysiology laboratory.Jeff Krackow, MD and Sandeep K. Jain, MD, UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute\u2019s Center for Atrial FibrillationAdvanced Cardiac Care\u201cIn addition to protecting the heart from clots, WATCHMAN offers this valuable benefit: once implanted, patients no longer need to take blood thinners,\u201d explains Dr. Jabbour. \u201cThis one-time procedure eliminates the increased risk of bleeding \u2014 along with the potential dizziness and physical weakness \u2014 that accompanies the long-term use of these drugs.\u201dPatient StoriesRobert Grealish received the implant at UPMC PassavantBarbara Kyle is a believer. In addition to AFib, the 79-year-old great-grandmother suffers from Charcot-Marie-Tooth, a hereditary disease that affects her balance and gait. \u201cI worry about falling. Outside our home, I always walk with a cane,\u201d she says.Eager to reduce her dependency on blood thinners, in March 2019 Barbara became the 10th patient at UPMC to receive the implant from Dr. Jabbour. He has now performed more than 200 procedures.The hour-long surgery, performed under general anesthesia, uses a catheter to place the small, parachute-shaped device inside the heart. Much like in a stent procedure, a small incision is made in the upper leg. The surgeon then uses a narrow tube to guide the device into the heart\u2019s left atrial appendage, assisted by x-ray and ultrasound.\u201cAfter an overnight stay at UPMC, I was able to go home with very minor restrictions,\u201d says Barbara. \u201cIt was very simple and painless.\u201d\u201cIn about 45 days, the heart tissue grows over the device and seals it,\u201d says Dr. Jabbour. Once that happens, patients replace their primary blood thinner with aspirin andPlavix\u00ae. And after six months, most patients take only a reduced dose of aspirin.\u201cThis has been such a relief for my family and me,\u201d says Barbara. \u201cIt\u2019s given us real peace of mind.\u201dIn November 2019, after living with AFib for more than 25 years, Robert Grealish received the implant at UPMC Passavant. \u201cMy arthritis was getting worse and I wanted to get off blood thinners,\u201d says Grealish, a retired family physician whose son now works at UPMC. \u201cIt\u2019s a great procedure. I\u2019m very grateful for this opportunity to reduce my risk of stroke and medicine intake.\u201dWith two clinical trials underway, the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute at UPMC Passavant is exploring if the implant can also be an alternative to taking oral anti-coagulation medication.WATCHMAN\u2122 is a trademark of Boston Scientific Corp."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2019","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"12","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/\/12\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"An Alternative to Blood Thinners: Learn About the WATCHMAN\u2122","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/12\/watchman-altoona\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]