Salina Regional Health Center will host a free educational seminar about atrial fibrillation.

According to the hospital, Cardiologist Maria Baldasare, M.D., will host the event from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Thursday, June 15, in Conference Rooms 6 and 7 at Salina Regional Health Center, 400 South Santa Fe Ave. While the seminar is free, RSVPs are requested by calling 785-452-7882 by June 12. Refreshments will be served.

For the 3 million Americans with atrial fibrillation (AF), an irregular heart rhythm that causes poor blood flow, the risk of having a stroke is about five times higher than normal. In response to this danger, AF patients are commonly placed on blood thinners. However, a significant number of people have adverse outcomes from being on blood thinners including varying forms of internal bleeding. Some patients cannot take blood thinners due to occupational risk or risk from falling and the potential for internal bleeds associated with trauma. Dr. Baldasare will explain the intricacies of AF, blood thinners, and a new treatment option available at Salina Regional to prevent strokes.

The new treatment option, called the WatchmanTM procedure, became available at Salina Regional Health Center this spring. It uses an implant to close the left atrial appendage in the heart, where most clots form before entering the blood stream and causing a stroke. The WatchmanTM device has been shown to be as effective as blood thinners in preventing stroke without the risks of bleeding.]