Trinity Health is committed to providing timely and accurate information to protect public health and safety. We also welcome the opportunity to assist the news media in reporting on our programs and services to help the public make more informed health decisions. Under the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), we are required by law to protect our patients’ privacy. This means that patients may “opt out” of our patient directories, thereby preventing any information from being released about their condition or admission status. To obtain a patient condition report, call 701-857-5000 and ask to speak with the House Supervisor. You must have the first and last name and patient pin number of the person whose condition you are checking on. Heart Disease #1 Killer In ND Heart disease is the number one cause of death in North Dakota (and throughout the nation), according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Despite progress in public education and medical technology, risk factors for heart disease and stroke among North Dakotans continue to pose a threat. Those factors include obesity, smoking, and alack of regular exercise. In fact, several thousand North Dakotans will die from some form of cardiovascular disease over the next 12 months. “Cardiovascular disease is preventable, ”observes Trinity Medical Group Cardiologist Robert Percell, M.D. “Screening and lifestyle modification nearly in life can help reduce the number of new cases, ”he adds. Dr. Percell notes out those risk factors can be divided into two categories: factors that are modifiable and those that are not.
Examples of risk factors that can be modified include quitting smoking, losing weight, exercising, reducing the intake of fats in the diet, limiting alcohol consumption, and reducing stress. Medical conditions, like diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia (elevated cholesterol levels) should also be closely monitored. However, risk factors that can’t be modified include age and gender, family history of CVD, and ethnic background (minority women have a greater incidence of coronary heart disease than do Caucasian women). “Though medical treatment is the cornerstone of therapy, balloon angioplasty followed by a stent is the treatment of choice for heart patients with dangerously narrowed arteries due to acute coronary syndrome,” says Dr. Percell. “The balloon opens the artery and the stent is inserted to provide support and help keep the artery from closing again.” Dr. Percell says that this combination has worked very well for the majority of patients needing interventional therapy. Studies of patients with coronary artery disease(CAD) have also shown that those who manage their stress (in addition to traditional medical care)significantly reduce their potential for future heart attacks as compared to patients who did not practice stress management. This association between heart disease and stress has been studied in patients with so-called Type A personalities. Stress-related emotions dangerous to the heart include: Intense emotion increases heart rate, therefore increasing the demand for blood and oxygen. Because stressed patients often have problems with adequate blood supply to their hearts, the added stress can cause angina (chest pain).If you experience any of these symptoms for more than five minutes please seek medical attention by calling 911 or having someone drive you to your local emergency room. About Dr. Percell: Dr. Robert Percell, Jr., is a native of Columbia, South Carolina. He earned his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, and he completed his Internal Medicine residency at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC. In addition, he received cardiology training at the University of Southern Florida's College of Medicine in Tampa. Dr. Percell is a member of the American College of Physicians, the American College of Cardiology, the Association of Black Cardiologists, and the American College of Chest Physicians. Dr. Percell is active with the American Heart Association. His office is located in Health Center – Medical Arts, 400 Burdick Expressway East, Minot. Call 857-7388 for appointments. Other heart specialists at Trinity Health include Dr. Samir Turk, Dr. Valentine Chikwendu, and Jerane Forsberg, PA-C. Their offices are located in Health Center –Medical Arts, 400 Burdick Expressway East. Call 857-7388 for appointments. Cardiovascular surgeon Martin Rothberg’s office is located in Health Center –East, 20 Burdick Expressway West. Call 857-5446 for appointments.
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Contact for Media Relations: Mary Muhlbradt Randy Schwan, Vice President
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