VHV Blog

Be Your Own Heart Health Advocate

VHVstaff — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 16:28:49 GMT

Many cardiac conditions give warning signs if you know what to look for. You know your body better than anyone, so use that awareness to stay on top of your health. Michael Ruisi, MD, joined Dr. Georg Couturier and the full-service cardiology team at Village Heart and Vein in the fall of 2023.

A board-certified general and interventional cardiologist, Dr. Ruisi specializes in minimally invasive complex transcatheter aortic valve replacements, helping repair patients’ damaged aortic valves that don’t fully open. Dr. Ruisi points out that patients can be the best advocates of their own health if they pay attention to their bodies and don’t ignore symptoms. Testing and ultrasound of the heart are routinely used to diagnose cardiac issues. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common condition caused by narrowing of the arteries, which reduces blood flow to the legs or arms.

Dr. Ruisi says a patient may not have symptoms unless claudication (blockage) develops. In that case, symptoms can include: Should you experience any of these symptoms, contact your cardiologist or get a referral from your primary care doctor. “We do stress tests in the office and if needed, cardiac catheterization can be done through the wrist using the transradial approach, which is much safer than going through the groin artery,” notes Dr. Ruisi, who has done 100 percent of his catheterizations this way for the last seven years.

There are times that someone should be under the care of a cardiologist, even if they presently don’t have symptoms of a heart condition. Dr. Ruisi says this includes people with risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or a family history of cardiac disease.

Getting established with a cardiology practice before you’re dealing with a serious problem allows you to create a connection and feel comfortable with your cardiologist should you need them in the future. “I treat my patients like my own family,” says Dr. Ruisi. “What drove me to become a cardiologist was being able to save a life with the immediate response that can be made with cardiac procedures.”

Village Heart and Vein is currently accepting new patients. Check with your insurance policy to determine if a referral is needed.

Get the Most out of Your Appointment

VHVstaff — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 16:18:39 GMT

At Village Heart and Vein, patients benefit from the warm personal setting and patient-driven approach. This philosophy of quality, affordable, evidence-based care is exactly why Joel R. Garcia, MD, FACC, joined the team at Village Heart and Vein in 2023. A board-certified cardiologist and internist, Dr. Garcia is an expert in most cardiac imaging modalities.

He focuses on general and invasive (non-interventional) cardiology and advanced heart failure. Dr. Garcia is all about prevention and enjoys working with patients to help them create a cardiac health plan. He encourages his patients to come to their appointment with at least five questions. “A lot of people don’t ask questions because they feel like they’re ‘bugging’ the doctor. I’m there to give you a service. Part of the experience is to ask questions so I can help you,” he says. To get more out of the appointment, Dr. Garcia urges patients to prepare ahead of time.

In addition to writing down any questions they might have, he recommends patients bring the following: Having the lab report from your primary doctor can reduce unnecessary costs and improve your experience at the cardiology appointment. Because many people have elevated blood pressure when they go to the doctor, Dr. Garcia advises people to take their blood pressure at home for a couple weeks and bring that record with them.

Dr. Garcia makes a point of sitting down with his patients to answer their questions. When someone asks him what changes they can make to their lifestyle to improve their cardiac health, he is happy to make suggestions regarding general health, exercise, diet and even alcohol consumption.

He references the study that shows people who walk 7,000 steps a day reduce their cardiovascular risk by 29 percent. One thing Dr. Garcia has seen since 2020 is an increase in alcohol intake, which can raise many cardiac risks. He encourages patients to be honest with their providers so that doctors understand their personal history. “I’m not just taking care of a heart when you come to my office,” he says. “I’m taking care of the whole person.” Village Heart and Vein is a trusted resource for both cardiac preventative care and treatment.

Elite cardiac care you can rely on.

VHVstaff — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 15:15:43 GMT

In a world tainted by confusion and distrust, that’s the last scenario anyone wants to encounter when facing health concerns. Especially when your heart is part of the equation.

Fortunately, the experienced full-service cardiology team at Village Heart and Vein Center understands how important it is for patients to have full trust and confidence in their cardiac care providers.

After Dr. Georg Couturier founded Village Heart and Vein in 2011, he was determined to assemble a skilled team of doctors that covered the whole spectrum of cardiology. That’s exactly what he has done.

Village Heart and Vein grew quickly with the community, becoming a trusted resource for both prevention and treatment, thanks to its wide range of cardiac expertise. Services include all areas of cardiology, electrophysiology and vascular disease.

Dr. Couturier is an award-winning doctor who specializes in general cardiology, preventive cardiology, pacemaker and defibrillator implants. From the earliest days of the practice, he wanted to ensure that patients could access the highest level of care— whether at his own hands or through another doctor in the practice.

As a collaborative practice, Village Heart and Vein combines the talents of six doctors. The team also includes nurse practitioners and physician assistants who work hand-in-hand with the cardiologists to serve their patients.“We take a comprehensive approach to cardiology. We’re able to take care of all the functionalities of the heart–all the problems and conditions the heart can create, along with vascular and arterial needs,” notes Dr. Couturier.

Having this broad skill set available under one roof means patients can rely on Village Heart and Vein whatever their cardiac needs.

Whether a patient is dealing with high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat or abnormal heart rhythm, heart valve disorder, peripheral artery disease, varicose veins, or any other condition that impacts the heart, Village Heart and Vein can competently treat any and all cardiac concerns, including preventative care.

PATIENT-CENTERED

A positive outcome starts and ends with the patient. The success rate increases when a patient fully understands the procedure, medication and treatment plan.

“Patient care is more than the knowledge of the doctor,” says Dr. Couturier.

He explains that beyond the doctor’s credentials and skill, a viable care plan requires the physicians and patients to share knowledge and work together. This is part of the “teamwork approach” the practice prides itself on providing.

In addition to expert medical care, the entire staff at Village Heart and Vein makes it a priority to build relationships with their patients. This includes taking the time to explain procedure details and to answer questions, assuring that patients feel they are an integral part of the entire process.

“We don’t take the approach of dictating to a patient what has to be done. We want to make sure our patients have the knowledge base they need to make informed decisions without relying on Google,” explains Robert Howard, Practice Administrator. “We believe that having an advocate on your side to help you make good decisions is the best possible situation.”

Patients like Ken Thompson have experienced this firsthand.

“The people that are trying to resolve my condition made me feel like I was the only person they had to see that day. Very patient, kind and understanding,” says Thompson. “If someone were going to make a video to train new doctors and staff on how to treat new patients, they should have used my visit.”

It’s one thing to have impeccable credentials and the most modern tools at their disposal. But it’s another thing altogether to have doctors who are approachable and willing to spend adequate time with their patients, talking with them, not down to them.

“The staff and doctor were amazing. They made me feel comfortable and relaxed, as I was already stressed about having to see a cardiologist,” says patient Fred Waters. “The doctor took the time to really explain things and outlined her treatment plan very clearly.”

“Having the patient involved in their care means you get a better outcome,” notes Dr. Vatsal Inamdar, an electrophysiologist with Village Heart and Vein. “For me, it is essential to explain their condition, help them understand what is happening to them, and form a solution or resolution to their problems.”

NEXT-LEVEL CARE

Village Heart and Vein offers a balanced approach that is progressive without being aggressive. Technology and state-of-the-art equipment combine with some of the best minds and talents in the world of cardiology.

“We’re well rounded in that we cover all bases of cardiology, and we cover them well. Our doctors are very forward-thinking and up to date with the latest techniques and tools,” says Robert Howard.

The practice utilizes the latest technology and innovations. Every doctor and provider are focused on each patient’s individual needs.

“We continue to innovate, working with leaders in the industry to come up with new processes and procedures,” adds Robert Howard.

For example, Village Heart and Vein currently has multiple ongoing clinical trials for medication. The practice routinely works with manufacturers on new instruments in order to improve procedures and lead to better patient outcomes.

Even though Village Heart and Vein is dedicated to cardiology, the practice team is fully aware that their patients may have other health concerns or comorbidities. In these cases, it’s important to work with their primary physicians to ensure that cardiac procedures or medications don’t conflict with any other physical issues the patient may be dealing with.

OUTPATIENT OPTION

For many people, the last few years have understandably increased their anxiety about having a hospital stay.

Patients of Village Heart and Vein can rest assured that this can typically be avoided, thanks to the practice’s partnership with Outpatient Surgery Center of Central Florida. The ultramodern facility is conveniently located in Wildwood and enables patients to have procedures done onsite at this outpatient cardiac surgical center instead of being admitted to a hospital.

Not only is the surgery center equipped with the latest technology and finest equipment, it is an accredited facility with accredited cardiologists.

Cardiac procedures can be done here in a highly professional setting that is more personal, safer and also, less expensive. It’s a clear advantage that brings peace of mind to both patients and their families.

Among the many procedures performed in the outpatient surgical center are heart catheterization, pacemaker implants, stenting of the heart, loop implants, surgery for peripheral artery disease and more. With most procedures, patients are discharged on the same day.

IMPROVED RECOVERY

Not every patient has someone at home to help after a cardiac event. Follow-up care is crucial to a positive outcome, so it’s not unusual for a patient having a cardiac surgery to spend some time in a rehab facility after being discharged from the hospital.

Village Heart and Vein has simplified this vital step by enabling the practice’s own nurse practitioners to treat patients in rehab. The team sees this as a continuation of care that supports patients, so they receive appropriate care throughout the recovery process. They are one of the only cardiology practices in The Villages to offer this service.

“We currently have three nurse practitioners who work with patients of cardiac events while in rehab. We have a clean hand-off from the doctors in the hospital to rehab and then back to our practice, so there’s no outside involvement through the cycle,” notes Howard. “Our nurse practitioners have direct contact with our doctors, so it works best for the patients.”

This unique service allows patients to have more peace of mind during an unsettling time, which means they can heal better.

“It has been very gratifying to spend 18 years of my medical career in The Villages,” says Dr. Couturier. “The patients in this community are energized and engaged participants in their health and their health care.”

Your heart is a muscle, and like any other muscle in your body, you must exercise to keep it strong.

VHVstaff — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 12:56:17 GMT

Can you lead a normal life following a heart attack?

Yes. People can live a normal life after a heart attack. If you exercise, eat healthy, lose unnecessary weight, and take your prescribed medication, then more likely than not, you will be able to live a complete, normal life. If you have a stroke, you’ll end up with permanent damage. However, if you have a heart attack, you can make a remarkable recovery. That’s because the self-healing ability of your brain is much more limited than the self-healing ability of your heart. Exercising after a heart attack is crucially important. Your heart is a muscle, and like any other muscle in your body, you must exercise to keep it strong. That’s why insurance companies encourage patients to participate in a rehabilitation program following a heart attack. Patients live longer and have fewer medical costs down the road. Patients who participate in rehabilitation programs realize the importance of staying in shape, and exercise eventually becomes second nature.

“Your heart is a muscle, and like any other muscle in your body, you must exercise to keep it strong.”

At Village Heart and Vein Center, our heart attack patients do go on to live normal lives. Our team of interventional cardiologist have undergone specialized training in heart catheterization procedures. Our practice has all the specialties of cardiac coverage because we have two general cardiologists, two electrophysiologists, and two interventional cardiologists.

Dr. Georg Couturier

Your Heart is in the right place!

VHVstaff — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 18:13:41 GMT

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death, above all cancers, for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States.

With that in mind, Village Heart and Vein, a full-service cardiology group located in Lady Lake, has been focused on prevention since the day it opened its doors more than 12 years ago. Dr. Georg Couturier, the group’s founder and head cardiologist, says it’s very important for people in their 50s or 60s, even if not having obvious symptoms, to undergo a cardiac evaluation and to establish a baseline for future health comparisons. People with a known family history of heart disease should also be seen by a cardiologist since it’s hereditary.

“The point is prevention. You really want to be working on things before they happen. You want to prevent the stroke, you want to prevent the heart attack, prevent the stents,” says Dr. Couturier. “It makes a big difference, especially since the alternative is waiting until you have your first heart attack or stroke, and then it’s too late.” The award-winning doctor adds that since the practice is located so near The Villages, many of their patients are interested in keeping heart- healthy to remain active and enjoy their retirement doing all the things they love. “People can’t go back in time to undo things that may have contributed to heart damage, and they certainly can’t help it if heart disease runs in their family, so we encourage that everybody, especially as they get older, get an assessment of where their heart stands,” adds Dr. Couturier. “Then, if we need to address issues, work on reversing any damage, or focus on certain preventatives, we can get started immediately.”

HERE TO STAY

Dr. Couturier has been practicing cardiology for over 20 years, so when he opened Village Heart and Vein in 2010, it was an extension of what he was already so passionate about. His vision started with aligning himself with like-minded doctors at the top of their fields so that together, they could provide residents of surrounding communities with the best care possible in every branch of cardiology, electrophysiology, vascular and arterial medicine.

Today, the practice has become a staple in the area it serves, and all the credit goes to the foundation from which the group was founded, the technology and state-of-the-art equipment it incorporates, and a long- term commitment from the group’s team of dedicated doctors, which as of Aug. 1, grew by one to make six.

The doctors work hand-in-hand to serve each patient, regardless of their needs, with quality care under one roof with help from the group’s nurse practitioners and physician assistants. “We take a comprehensive approach to cardiology that with it, encompasses many fields, including electrophysiology, general cardiology, invasive cardiology and interventional cardiology, so that patients with any cardiac disease can be taken care of in our office by people in our office,” Dr. Couturier says. “We’re able to take care of all the functionalities of the heart, all the problems and all the conditions the heart can create, along with all your vascular and arterial needs.

Robert Howard, Village Heart and Vein’s practice administrator, says the group is proud of the footprint it has established in The Villages and beyond by taking the practice from a sole doctor to a team of six who all beat as one. “Village Heart and Vein is a collaboration of six established doctors who for years, successfully cared for patients individually,” says Robert. “Since then, the doctors, committed to taking cardiac patient care to a whole other level, have come on board to lend their expertise and help grow our practice into what it is today.”

With that, perhaps the greatest part of the team is that each and every doctor at Village Heart and Vein takes pride in building solid relationships with patients.

Regardless of whether a patient calls with questions, requires additional assistance after a visit, or comes to the communicate with them when needs arise outside of normal office visits,” Robert explains.

TOP-NOTCH OUTPATIENT FACILITY

In this day and age, a trip to the hospital for an emergency or surgical procedure is riskier and more complicated than ever.

Patients of Village Heart and Vein, however, need not worry about the possibility of an unwanted hospital stay.

Instead, the group has a partnership with an outpatient cardiac surgical center – a state-of-the-art facility in Wildwood designed for outpatient surgery called Outpatient Surgery Center of Central Florida – where its

same day following most procedures. “The surgical center is very, very good

and we are very proud to have it. People love it and they tell me all the time that it’s the best experience they’ve ever had,” Dr. Couturier says, explaining that the surgery center is not only equipped with all the latest technology and state-of-

the-art equipment, but is an accredited facility with accredited cardiologists.

Procedures performed there are heart catheterization, pacemaker

molding, shaping, and successfully growing Village Heart and Vein, and being able to partner with the other doctors involved in the surgical center says: “I’m very grateful for our staff, our doctors, our facilities, and proud because I love seeing our patients so happy and healthy because if they’re satisfied, then it makes you feel like, ‘OK, nice, we were really able to do a good thing.’

What is peripheral artery disease?

VHVstaff — Tue, 31 May 2022 19:23:38 GMT

how do you treat it?

Peripheral artery disease, or PAD, is caused by a blockage of the blood flow that brings oxygen and nutrients from the heart to feed the body. It usually happens more in the legs. A lot of times it’s overlooked by people because they might have aches and pains in the legs, and may have peripheral artery disease, but they think it could be neuropathy or arthritis or a muscle cramp. PAD usually happens in people over 60, and risk factors include diabetes, smoking, a history of heart disease, high blood pressure or family history of peripheral artery disease.

When someone has symptoms, they should get screening tests by their doctor to check for peripheral artery disease. If the doctor finds a significant blockage, then the patient can see a specialist like me to investigate further. The best initial treatment is changing the lifestyle: stop smoking, control diabetes, eat nutritious food, exercise regularly. The next step is medication that can help improve blood flow around the blockage. If that doesn’t help, the next stage of care includes tests like an angiogram, which is a process of putting a small catheter into the blood vessels in the legs and taking a picture.

Results Are Easy To Obtain

If the blockage has become a long blockage, completely blocked or has too much calcium, then it requires bypass surgery. In my practice, I would say less than 5 percent of patients need surgery. Most of the time, we can do a procedure called endovascular, which is treatment through the catheter without cutting. The endovascular treatment has many choices: you can put a balloon in to open up the plaque and then take the balloon out and leave the blood vessel open; or you can put a stent in if the blockage is not responding to the balloon; you can do a “Roto Rooter” and cut the plaque into micro-size pieces and they’re absorbed into the system; or you can use a laser to open up the blockage in some situations. Endovascular is an outpatient procedure; it doesn’t have to be done in the hospital. At our outpatient surgical center, a patient can go in and we perform an angiogram and treatment, if necessary, and they can get sent home the same day.

Awareness by patients about peripheral artery disease is important. I have treated peripheral artery disease for over 25 years, and I have good success rates with the treatment as outpatients. I would like to see the patient in the early stage because if they’ve got a bad blockage, it’s more difficult to take care of and the outcome may not be as good as when the disease is discovered early. If anyone comes directly to me, I’d be happy to provide the care.

Providing relief for people with vein disease.

VHVstaff — Sat, 14 May 2022 07:56:38 GMT

a visit to Village Heart and Vein to see Bryan Carter, PA might be in order.

People with vein disease often complain of vague symptoms of heaviness and swelling to severe issues of pain, skin darkening with non-healing wounds to the unfortunate problems of blood clots.

If any of those symptoms sound familiar, there’s hope for relief. If you cannot relate, preventative maintenance is a good option for evading those feelings completely.

Either way, a visit to Village Heart and Vein to see Bryan Carter, PA might be in order.

“We have a full-time diagnostic center with ultrasound sonographers that specialize in venous disease, not just to look for blood clots, but to look for pathology and problems in the veins that can lead to blood clots,” says Bryan. “Our goal is to catch problems before the problems catches the patient.”

Should vein disease or problems occur, Bryan says there is an upside.

“There is no cure for vein disease but we can control it very easily,” he says, explaining that procedures are no longer done is a hospital operating room, that there is no downtime, and vein stripping is a thing of the past. “The procedures are all done in the office with local anesthesia. Patients are wide awake, and they can drive themselves,” Bryan says, adding that patients can even watch the procedure in real time. The only thing Bryan urges is patience.

Bryon Carter, MPA-C

“The vein procedures of today are magical and a lot of times, people get quick results.” Bryan says. “Depending on the severity of their issue it may take multiple treatments, but once we get the vein problem under control, the ulcers, varicose veins, the symptoms begin to resolve and patients tell me their legs look and feel much better, that they’re able to walk farther and do more things.”

Bryan says he is passionate about helping people get back on their feet, and with 20 years under his belt in the field, he has gained experience, and a great reputation for success.

As for his background, Bryan is a previous Army combat medic, who obtained his Master’s in Venous Disease and Treatment.

Bryan has personally trained physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners throughout Florida and Georgia and is an active member of the American College of Phlebology. He is also one of only a few to be inducted into the American Venous Forum