News & Blog

Man’s Heart Cath Placed thru Wrist

Battling heart disease and diabetes for years, Johnny Braden of Caryville, 67, had angioplasty in 1990 and a number of cardiac stents installed after that, the most recent in August at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center. A cardiac stent is a tiny metal mesh cylinder that props open a blood vessel in the heart muscle […]

Fort Sanders Heart Team Saves Knox Man from Deadly “Widow Maker” Heart Attack

For most of his 73 years, Dave Matthews has been very healthy and active. The West Knoxville man walks several miles every day, has never smoked and never experienced any heart problems. That’s why Matthews was surprised when he suddenly began having severe chest pains, trouble breathing and heavy sweating while running errands one day […]

Woman’s Heart Blockage Treated with Procedure thru Wrist

Judith Hodge sees people with heart disease every day. As a staff member of the Fort Sanders Heart Center, she well knows the signs and symptoms of a heart attack. But, when Judith herself began experiencing chest pains off and on, she dismissed the warning signs. She spent the night in the hospital and in […]

Fort Sanders Cardiac Rehab Gets Dancer Back on Her Toes

Before coming up with her walking routine, 79-year-old Jin Gaston attended Fort Sanders Cardiac Rehabilitation Outpatient Program for 12 weeks after her quintuple bypass surgery. The program instructors taught her the importance of exercising to recover from the heart surgery that likely saved her life. “My doctors say I was a walking heart time bomb,” […]

Wife Saves Stubborn Husband from Heart Attack

If there’s one thing 57-year-old Eddie McMillan of Knoxville has learned in the last year, it’s not to argue with his wife, Teresa, in the middle of the night. Last June, McMillan had been having shortness of breath for about a month. He made an appointment with Knoxville Heart Group cardiologist Dr. Daniel Slutzker for […]

Quick Medical Action Helps Knoxville Man Survive Heart Attack

One day last summer, 60-year-old Charlie Morgan enjoyed a hearty lunch with the Knoxville QuarterbackClub at a local restaurant. He is used to sharing a steak with fellow UT Vols fans and serves on the boards of both the Quarterback Club and the Big Orange Club. But that afternoon, Morgan began to feel a heaviness […]

Heart Vest Saves Man from Cardiac Arrest

Gerald Lawson admits he was “darn lucky” to survive his first heart attack. But he calls it “a miracle” that he’s alive to talk about his second and third heart attacks. He credits both God and a device called “LifeVest” with saving his life. “The vest protects patients with a high risk of sudden cardiac […]

Dr. George Krisle’s Prescription for Good Cardiac Health

Heart disease is the number one health issue in our country today. Obesity and smoking are two ofthe main reasons why. And, adds Krisle, “I learned the hard way that you can’t outrun your familyhistory.” Krisle’s grandfather was a smoker and passed away suddenly when he was 58 yearsold. His father smoked one pack a […]