â• Inner Circle: A Race Against Time + How Much Heart Care Has Changed!
Published 22 days ago • 3 min read
Dr. Robin's Inner Circle
Members Only Newsletter
A Note from Dr. Robin
Hi Reader,
My grandpa had his first heart attack (blocked blood vessel in his heart) in September of 1955 while he was serving in the Army. And by coincidence, President Eisenhower had a heart attack at the exact same time and they both ended up at Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Denver, Colorado. I've actually seen the President's recreated room there!
At the time, there was almost nothing doctors could do for a heart attack. Treatment was basically: tuck the patient in bed, feed them steak and eggs, and hope they survived. My grandparents told that story many times. How incredible it was that Grandpa and the President got the same care at the same time, and how little that care actually was.
But what both men did get was a brand new therapy. The doctors tried gradually increasing exercise to help people recover, what we now call cardiac rehab. But that didn't help you survive the heart attack or save any heart cells, just be able to do more afterwards with whatever heart cells you still had...if you did survive.
Today, a heart attack is a race against the clock. The goal is to reopen the blocked artery as fast as possible. And you don’t even need surgery! You need a team led by an interventional cardiologist, who threads a tiny tube into the heart and opens the artery from the inside. It’s precise, lifesaving work.
The difference between then and now is breathtaking. Modern cardiology saves lives every single day.
Dr. Robin
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Roots & Suffixes:
cardio-
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Even doctors come across words they’ve never seen before. Learning roots and suffixes helps you guess smart—so unfamiliar words start to make more sense!
You’ll see it in words like:
cardiology, the study of the heart
cardiologist, a doctor who specializes in the heart
cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle
Whenever you see “cardi–,” think heart.
What I'm Reading
This week’s pick is Soar by Joan Bauer.
Jeremiah loves baseball more than anything, even though he can't play because of a heart condition that required a transplant. When he moves to a new town, he brings hope, humor, and leadership to a struggling middle school baseball team.
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If your student enjoys stories about courage, teamwork, and what it means to live fully even with medical challenges, Soar is a great fit.
​ It pairs beautifully with this week’s focus on the heart and the heart modules in the program!
This is an affiliate link. You don't pay extra but you help support the school anytime you click one of our links before shopping!
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Career Corner: Cardiology
Cardiologists are doctors who diagnose and treat conditions of the heart and blood vessels. Some focus on helping patients manage long-term heart conditions. Some do procedures such as cardiac caths.
Cardiologists spend their days problem-solving, reading heart tests, talking with patients, and working closely with nurses, techs, and the cardiac catheterization team.
If you were a cardiologist, would you rather use tools like EKGs and ultrasounds to figure out what’s going on with the heart, or talk with patients about how to keep their hearts healthy? Why?
Do you have a question about a lesson you're doing? You can write in and ask Dr. Robin!
Question:
Why do heart attacks have to be treated so fast? Can’t the heart just heal itself?
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Answer from Dr. Robin:
There's two parts to this. First, a heart attack is killing the heart cells. A heart attack happens when a blood vessel in the heart is blocked. That means part of the heart muscle suddenly isn’t getting oxygen. Heart cells can only survive a short time without oxygen before they become permanently damaged.
That’s why treatment is a race against time. The faster the blocked artery is opened, the more heart muscle can be saved.
But the other part of this has to do with how different cells behave. Some cells, like your skin or bone or liver, can divide and make replacement cells if some are damaged. But others, like in your spinal cord or heart, aren't able to do that so any damage is permanent.
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P.S. Have a question from your lesson or something you’ve always wondered about medicine? Hit reply and ask me! Your question might be featured in a future Ask Dr. Robin.
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That's all for this week! Happy Learning!
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Questions?
Get one-on-one assistance from Nurse Jill Cooper.
Reply to this email, schedule office hourswith Jill, or text or call 720-257-9030. Business hours are 9-5 M-F MST, closed for school holidays.
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