Heart Failures Spike After Major Holidays

Alert for Holiday Weekend:


Heart failures spike after major holidays

Syracuse, NY (June 28, 2016) – A study[i] that was recently released and published in Clinical Research in Cardiology says that the number of people admitted to hospitals for heart failure drops on major holidays but then climbs in the days that follow.

“This is because people may avoid going to the hospital or trying to see a doctor on holidays, but then the high-salt foods, stress from travel and a lack of exercise can lead to heart failure during or immediately following the holiday,” said Peggy A. Thomas, MSN, RNC, Clinical Director of Invasive, Medical Imaging, and Cardiology Services at St. Joseph’s Health.

The study showed that, “over the years, the average number of patients admitted for heart failure on Independence Day was 3.8. That number rose to an average of 5.6 per day in the days immediately after the holiday, and settled at 5 per day during the rest of the month.” Similar patterns were seen for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day and Super Bowl Sunday.

St. Joseph’s Health, the region’s leader in cardiac care, is offering tips to help keep Central New Yorkers safe this holiday weekend.

“Nearly 5 million Americans suffer from heart failure. To help stay heart healthy, we recommend keeping sodium intake under 2,000 mg per day,” said Dr. Russell Silverman, M.D., F.A.C.C., Medical Director of Medical Cardiology Services at St. Joseph’s Health. “It is important to be aware of the higher sodium content in many of the popular foods that people will be eating this weekend – like hot dogs. Symptoms to look for include weight gain, fatigue, shortness of breath and difficulty walking. Weight gain from the retention of fluid, for example, could cause heart failure.”

Dr. Silverman was appointed Medical Director of Medical Cardiology Services at St. Joseph’s Health last month (May 2016). A member of St. Joseph’s medical staff for more than 30 years, Dr. Silverman has contributed to the growth and national recognition of St. Joseph’s cardiology service line. In this new role, he is responsible for setting and implementing the strategic direction with the Cardiology Network Executive Committee for the service line as it relates to achieving the goals and objectives for clinical operations. He will also continue his private practice during this time.

*Note to media: Dr. Silverman is available this Wednesday, June 29^th for interviews on this topic*

(Dr. Silverman will not be available Thursday or Friday before the holiday weekend)

St. Joseph’s Health is the region’s top provider for heart health care because it holds nearly a dozen different accreditations, certifications, and recognitions specifically for cardiovascular care. St. Joseph’s is the only hospital in CNY to have earned all of the following designations:

ACE™ PCI accreditation from the Accreditation for Cardiovascular Care – full reaccreditation received April 2016

1. Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Blue Distinction Center+ for Cardiac Care
2. Consumer Reports top 15 heart surgery centers in the U.S.
3. U.S. News & World Report #12 hospital in New York, and Top 100 in the U.S. for heart surgery
4. Becker’s 100 Hospitals with Great Heart Programs
5. Number 1 hospital for vascular surgery in New York State, and among the top five percent in the nation by HealthGrades® for vascular surgery, with 5 Star Rating for Valve Replacement Surgery
6. Chest Pain with PCI and Resuscitation Accreditation from Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care
7. Heart Failure Accreditation from Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care
8. Academy of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation re-certification
9. American Association of Critical-Care Nurses “Gold level” Beacon Award for excellence in critical care nursing for the Surgical Intensive Care Unit
10. And the only Magnet-designated hospital in the region

St. Joseph’s hospital performed the first open heart surgery in 1958, and was the third center in the United States to perform angioplasty. St. Joseph’s has continued to lead the way in the prevention, detection and treatment of heart disease; most recently, successfully performing the first MitraClip procedures in CNY.

About St. Joseph’s Health

St. Joseph’s Health is a non-profit regional health care system based in Syracuse, N.Y., providing services to patients throughout Central New York and northern Pennsylvania. From primary to specialty to home care, to our Magnet-recognized hospital, and in collaboration with our community partners, St. Joseph's Health is advancing the health of the communities we serve through an expanding range of healthcare services to ensure our patients achieve optimum long-term health. Ranked by Consumer Reports among the top 15 heart surgery centers in the country, U.S. News “Best Regional Hospital” and a 15-time winner of the National Research Corporation Consumer Choice award, St. Joseph’s is widely recognized for quality, value and delivering the highest patient satisfaction. St. Joseph’s Health is affiliated with Franciscan Companies and St. Joseph’s Physicians and is a part of Trinity Health.

###