My Dr Malik
By Tammy White
Prior to Dr Rajesh Malik joining the practice of Pee Dee Cardiology in January of 2006, patients who needed the specialized care of an Electrophysiologist were required to travel outside of the Pee Dee area to seek treatment.
An electrophysiologist is a physician who specializes in evaluating the abnormalities of the heart’s rhythm. Dr. Malik, the Director of Electrophysiology for McLeod, is the only physician at McLeod who deals with the electrical system of the heart or electrophysiology, a study of the electrical impulses of the heart.
"Approximately 75 to 100 physicians trained in electrophysiology graduate each year in the country," said Cletus Sawyer, Director of the McLeod Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. "We are very fortunate to have Dr. Malik here at McLeod and are very grateful that our patients no longer need to travel elsewhere to receive this care. Now they can stay close to home."
The arrival of Dr. Malik was a relief for many patients, especially to Frances Cook of Florence.
Frances, like over two million Americans, suffered from atrial fibrillation (AF), which is an abnormality of the electrical system of the heart. It is a rapid beating of the upper chambers of the heart, which prevents the heart from pumping blood adequately to the lower chambers.
"I was always short of breath," said Frances. "I was tired all the time and constantly felt like I was running a relay race. Ten feet was the maximum I could walk on a flat surface without having to stop and rest. Climbing stairs was also extremely difficult.
"In addition, I was taking several medications and a blood thinner. One of my medicines made me dizzy and I would, at least weekly, have a bad fall. I had two cardioversion treatments, which is where they stop and start your heart to try and get it back in rhythm. Both treatments were unsuccessful," added Frances.
Frances was then evaluated and tested for the MAZE treatment. The MAZE procedure is a surgical intervention for heart patients with AF.
"Two weeks after my procedure, I was dancing with my husband, Ralph at a wedding reception,” said Frances. “It had been five years since I had been able to dance or walk more than five steps without having to stop to catch my breath."
"When the Cardiac Surgeon made the incision to perform the MAZE procedure he discovered that the inside of my chest was covered with scar tissue that prevented him from being able to go through my ribs," said Frances. "He said that it was probably due to a past bronchial infection. For him to proceed with the procedure would have been too dangerous.
"I was then referred to an electrophysiologist for treatment out of town. I was evaluated, tested and scheduled for a procedure. At the last minute, I recall receiving a phone call explaining that the physician had an emergency and they needed to cancel my appointment.
"I had really given up hope on any solution to my problem. The next time I went to see my cardiologist, Dr. Llewellyn Rowe, he admitted me to the hospital because my pulse rate was only 35. While I was there, Dr. Rowe told me there was a new doctor in town that he believed would be able to help me. Dr. Rowe wanted my permission to have him evaluate me. I quickly agreed to the offer of hope. That was the beginning of my medical relationship with Dr. Malik.
"Dr. Malik came to my hospital room that day. He told me I would need some tests but he believed that I was a good candidate for the Catheter Ablation procedure," said Frances.
Catheter Ablation is a procedure to disrupt or eliminate the faulty electrical pathway that causes abnormal heart rhythms.
The procedure is performed through catheters, narrow, flexible wires that are inserted into the blood vessels through the groin area. They are then guided through the blood vessels to the heart via X-ray imaging.
Once the catheters are in place, a burst of heat is emitted to destroy the tissue cells that are triggering the abnormal electric signals to stop them from traveling through the heart.
"Dr. Malik made no promises to me that this procedure would cure my AF," said Frances. "He did say that he believed I had a good chance for success. I had complete confidence in his ability."
"Catheter Ablation is not without risks," said Dr. Malik. "The risks are rare, but need to be discussed with the patient. Before the procedure is scheduled, I have two meetings with the patient and I require that a family member be present with them. This is not a simple procedure and should not be taken lightly.
"Not everyone is a candidate for Catheter Ablation. This procedure is reserved for patients with symptoms that have not responded to medication or they have difficulty tolerating their medicines," added Dr. Malik.
"Two weeks after my procedure, I was dancing with my husband, Ralph at a wedding reception," said Frances. "It had been five years since I had been able to dance or walk more than five steps without having to stop to catch my breath.
"We are very fortunate here in Florence that we have some of the best, most knowledgeable, experienced physicians around –especially "My Dr. Malik." I am so grateful for what McLeod and Dr. Malik have been able to do for me. I have been given back a quality of live I have not experienced in years, and I feel great."
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