My name is Jason Lappé and I live in Biltmore Park with my wife, Sara, and our two daughters on Ellicott Lane. We have been here for seven years and love the community of Biltmore Park. I am a cardiac electrophysiologist with Asheville Cardiology Associates. We moved here after I finished my medical training at Duke and cardiology training at Cleveland Clinic. I have served as the director of cardiac electrophysiology at Mission Hospital for the last five years.

Cardiac electrophysiology is a field of medicine that specializes in caring for electrical disturbances within the heart. People in my field are often called “electricians of the heart.” It may be surprising to learn that the heart needs an electrician, but it’s true! The heart has a sophisticated system of cells that control the heart rhythm and, like nerves, these specialized cells carry the signals to different parts of the heart. A normal heartbeat and a normal heart rhythm require exact timing of these signals to operate normally. When things go wrong, that is where I can help.

When someone has an issue with the electrical system within the heart, there are many different treatments. Some issues can be treated with changes in lifestyle. However, other issues may require medications or procedures. Some of the procedures I perform include implanting heart rhythm monitors, placing pacemakers or defibrillators, or performing ablations. 

I truly love what I do. Cardiac electrophysiology is a very exciting field that uses the latest technological advances to make a difference in people’s lives. It is this intersection of advanced electrical engineering, rapidly evolving technology and patient care that led me into this field. I feel lucky to be able to use my skills and the tools at my disposal to make people feel better and live longer.

One of the most common ailments I treat is atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is a disturbance of the heart’s normal rhythm. During a normal heartbeat, the atria (top part of the heart) sends a signal to the ventricle (bottom of the heart) telling it to squeeze. This squeeze pumps blood to the lungs to oxygenate blood and sends oxygenated blood to the body for use. During atrial fibrillation, the atrial electrical signal is not organized and well timed. It is in an electrical storm, creating chaotic signals to the ventricles. People with atrial fibrillation can have a fast and irregular heartbeat. When this can be felt, it is called palpitations. Atrial fibrillation also makes people feel very tired. The chaotic heart rhythm zaps as much as 20% of the output from the heart, making exercise or even normal activities difficult.

This last year brought a significant improvement to ablation procedures with a new technology that has improved the efficacy of the procedure and decreased the already low risk of complications by 50%.

With this being American Heart Month, I wanted to provide some advice on preventing atrial fibrillation or decreasing your amount of atrial fibrillation if you already have this condition.

As with most medical conditions a foundation of a healthy weight and regular exercise is key. If you are already overweight, losing even 10% of your body weight can reduce your risk of atrial fibrillation significantly. Thirty minutes of moderate exercise five days a week can reduce your risk even further. This does not have to be a fancy workout routine; simply walking makes a difference.

Alcohol is also a big issue with atrial fibrillation. A single drink increases your risk of atrial fibrillation. Cutting back on your alcohol consumption, or ideally abstaining all together, can reduce your risk of atrial fibrillation or decrease the frequency of your atrial fibrillation episodes. 

Other medical conditions, such as hypertension and sleep apnea, also can influence your risk of atrial fibrillation or the frequency of episodes. It is important to work with your primary care physician to ensure that these issues are fully treated.

This month I hope you spend some time reflecting and improving upon your heart health and take a moment to care for yourself as our community continues to heal from Hurricane Helene.