The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 25 COVID patients today, 26 yesterday. Other significant numbers:
- 10 with the active virus today, 11 yesterday
- 3 in ICU, 2 yesterday
- 0 on a ventilator, 1 yesterday
Key points from today’s guests:
Brian Pitts, heart transplant recipient
- In 2011, Brian suffered a heart attack at a wedding and, fortunately, the bride was a registered nurse who performed CPR on him until paramedics arrived.
- He was born with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a congenital defect and was implanted with a pacemaker defibrillator.
- But he had another episode in 2021 and doctors told him he was in heart failure and needed a transplant.
- He was on the transplant list for 63 days before receiving his new heart and he is now an active advocate for people to join the donor registry.
- Brian is very healthy and physically active now.
Dr. Hirak Shah, heart failure & transplant cardiologist, The University of Kansas Health System
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is actually the most common genetic condition in the heart. It actually affects around one in 500 people and maybe even more, as we were learning more about the diagnosis and are having better tools to diagnose these patients.
- When you hear about these young athletes who might be at sporting events, and they all of a sudden collapse and have to have CPR, one of the most the most common reasons for that is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. It causes a decrease in the heart’s ability to pump blood to the rest of the organs.
- Around 3-5 percent of patients will end up requiring a heart transplantation due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
- The life expectancy for people with this is actually very similar to the average population, but they are at risk for certain conditions.
Nichole Asquith, Community engagement coordinator, Midwest Transplant Network
- Midwest Transplant Network serves as the organ procurement organization for the state of Kansas and the western two thirds of Missouri.
- It is responsible for the donation side and working with our donor families.
- It also begins taking care of the donor patient. At the point the authorization happens, Midwest Transplant Network is the organization that does the testing.
- We have a lab right here in Kansas City and Westwood that is responsible for doing all the different types of lab testing that is important to making sure that the gift is placed with the right recipient who's not going to go into rejection.
- From there, we work with the transplant centers to help find the right placements.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control, The University of Kansas Health System
- Since the Health System relaxed masking guidelines, there have been no reports of hospital transmitted COVID.
- The Health System has a rigorous process for monitoring and investigating any potential hospital-transmitted infection, whether it is COVID or another issue.
- Despite not having any hospital transmitted COVID after the masking rule was relaxed, it does not mean that masks were not effective during the pandemic.
- Today, the population has more immunity to COVID through vaccination and/or increased immunity from having COVID. The data continues to support that masks are very effective in helping reduce spread.
Friday, April 21 at 8 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. Cancer kills fewer and fewer people every year. Why not speed up that progress? We're recognizing National Cancer Control Month by sharing the best advice for prevention and early detection.
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