• About Us
  • Paper Locations
  • Contact
Hispanic News || Shirley Ann Flower Shop || RS Deer Ranch
March 21, 2023
MEDIA KIT
African American News and Issues
63 °f
Houston
  • National
  • Local
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Education
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Announcements
  • Afram TV
  • Events
  • Entertainment
No Result
View All Result
African American News and Issues
  • National
  • Local
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Education
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Announcements
  • Afram TV
  • Events
  • Entertainment
No Result
View All Result
African American News and Issues
No Result
View All Result
  • AframNews Media Kit
  • About
  • Paper Locations
Home #NNPA BlackPress

Ask Dr. Kevin: The Challenges of Diagnosing Hereditary ATTR-CM, a Rare Heart Disease – A Patient’s Journey

aframnews by aframnews
August 3, 2020
in #NNPA BlackPress, Black History, Community, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., Featured, Health, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire
0
Joe Biden Selects Kamala Harris as Running Mate
75
SHARES
1.2k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedIn

By Dr. Kevin Williams, Chief Medical Officer for Rare Disease at Pfizer

You might also like

SHERIFF ERIC FAGAN AWARDS $39,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS

HSPVA Black Alumni Network presents….The Wiz Emerald City Experience

Houston Family Arts Legacy

The “Ask Dr. Kevin” series is brought to you by Pfizer Rare Disease in collaboration with the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) to increase understanding of hereditary ATTR-CM, or transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy, and the risk to African Americans.

There are two sub-types of ATTR-CM, wild-type and hereditary. Wild-type ATTR-CM is thought to be the most common form of ATTR-CM, is mostly associated with men over the age of 60 and is not caused by a mutation in a person’s genes. Most wild-type patients are white. Hereditary ATTR-CM is inherited from a relative and is due to genetics, affecting both men and women. In the United States, the most common genetic mutation associated with hereditary ATTR-CM is found almost exclusively in people of African or Afro-Caribbean descent. Symptom onset can occur in people as early as their 50s or 60s; however, people who have the mutation may never develop symptoms of the disease.

As I continue this series, I’d like to share with you the personal experience of one person living with hereditary ATTR-CM, Randy, and his wife and caregiver, Priscilla.

Randy is a 75-year-old man, originally from Trinidad and Tobago, now living in New Orleans. In 2018, he was officially diagnosed with hereditary ATTR-CM, a rare, life-threatening disease that’s associated with heart failure, but Randy actually began experiencing symptoms four years earlier. Unfortunately, Randy’s long road to diagnosis and his struggle to find information about the condition is common for patients with ATTR-CM. Awareness among patients, and even primary care physicians and cardiologists remains low, which results in ATTR-CM being significantly underdiagnosed.

Randy’s Journey to Diagnosis

In 2014, Randy was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome (numbness, tingling, and pain in the fingers), which at first seemed to be associated with his former job as a college professor, a profession that forced him to spend many workdays connected to his computer keyboard. Around this time, during his routine jogs, he also started to notice tingling in his extremities and shortness of breath but did not think the symptoms could be related.

For patients with ATTR-CM, the disease often presents with symptoms of heart failure, such as fatigue, shortness of breath and peripheral edema (swelling in the lower legs), but may also include other symptoms such as carpal tunnel syndrome, gastrointestinal issues (constipation, nausea, diarrhea), peripheral neuropathy (decreased or strange tingling sensation or pain in feet or toes), or lumbar spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spine that can cause pain or numbness in the lower back and legs).

As Randy’s symptoms continued to progress, he realized something was wrong, prompting him to follow up with his doctor. Randy’s doctor initially credited his shortness of breath to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease brought on by heavy smoking during his youth and the poor air quality in New Orleans. However, the other symptoms he was experiencing still didn’t quite add up.

Randy’s Diagnosis

Then, one day, Randy was visibly struggling to climb the stairs at his daughter’s townhouse. His daughter, who is a healthcare professional, immediately knew he was in cardiac distress and rushed Randy to the ER for testing.

After receiving multiple diagnostic tests, he learned that he had congestive heart failure and the walls of his heart were stiff. His cardiologist also had Randy undergo genetic testing, which helped inform his diagnosis of hereditary ATTR-CM, the type of ATTR-CM that is inherited from a relative.

Randy’s Life with ATTR-CM

Following Randy’s diagnosis, he and his wife, Priscilla, quickly realized their daily lives would be changed drastically. Priscilla started to pick up even more responsibilities around the house, while also helping Randy manage his ATTR-CM. Priscilla shared, “When Randy was first diagnosed, I was surprised because he had always been very healthy. Overall, I would say my reaction was shock.”

“I was going to my primary care doctor about my shortness of breath, but the connection to ATTR-CM was not made,” Randy recalled. “Once I got the diagnosis, my cardiologist was the main source of information, but even so, I did a lot of research on my own. We really had to inform ourselves.”

Despite the challenges of life with ATTR-CM, Randy and Priscilla are now advocating to bring attention to the disease, as they believe there is not nearly enough education and awareness about ATTR-CM and the importance of early testing, especially within the African American community. With the disproportionate rates of heart disease and heart failure in this population, it’s important to find the primary cause of heart conditions with the help of a cardiologist.

If you’d like to learn more about hereditary ATTR-CM, including signs and symptoms, visit www.YourHeartsMessage.com.

*Dr. Kevin Williams is the Chief Medical Officer for Rare Disease at Pfizer. He pursued medicine after being inspired by his father’s work as a general practitioner in his hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Dr. Kevin is passionate about raising awareness and increasing understanding of ATTR-CM in the African American community. You can follow Pfizer on Facebook and Twitter.

Tags: carpal tunnel syndromediagnosisfatiguefeaturedheart failureHereditary ATTR-CMlife-threatening diseasenational newspaper publishers associationnumbnesspainperipheral edemaPfizerPfizer Rare Diseaseshortness of breathtingling
Share30Tweet19
aframnews

aframnews

Recommended For You

SHERIFF ERIC FAGAN AWARDS $39,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS

by aframnews
March 20, 2023
0
SHERIFF ERIC FAGAN AWARDS $39,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS

Richmond, TX - This past Saturday, 26 graduating high school seniors from Fort Bend County each received a $1,500 scholarship from Sheriff Eric Fagan, Jokes and Justice, in...

Read more

HSPVA Black Alumni Network presents….The Wiz Emerald City Experience

by Crystal LaShan
March 18, 2023
0
HSPVA Black Alumni Network presents….The Wiz Emerald City Experience

The Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) Black Alumni Network (BAN) did an amazing job supporting the student actors and crew. Several BAN members...

Read more

Houston Family Arts Legacy

by Crystal LaShan
March 18, 2023
0
Houston Family Arts Legacy

Cortlandt Barrett, remember her name because soon you won’t forget it. She has dynamic talent with an array of theatrical experiences from Dreamgirls to The Wiz. Cortlandt has...

Read more

HSPVA’s The Wiz

by Crystal LaShan
March 18, 2023
0
HSPVA’s The Wiz

The Kinder High School for Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA), The Wiz, was full of amazingly talented young artists who left everything they had on the stage. Jayla...

Read more

School Vouchers: Good or Bad?

by Chelsea Davis-Bibb, Ed.D.
March 18, 2023
0

Governor Abbott has made it clear that he supports a “school choice” policy and how Texas needs to “create an education savings account program.” This is about parental...

Read more
Next Post
Joe Biden Selects Kamala Harris as Running Mate

July was Bebe Moore Campbell Minority Mental Health Awareness Month but Increasing Awareness of Mental Illness Among Minorities Should Be an All-Year Effort

Latest Articles

SHERIFF ERIC FAGAN AWARDS $39,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS

SHERIFF ERIC FAGAN AWARDS $39,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS

March 20, 2023
HSPVA Black Alumni Network presents….The Wiz Emerald City Experience

HSPVA Black Alumni Network presents….The Wiz Emerald City Experience

March 18, 2023
Houston Family Arts Legacy

Houston Family Arts Legacy

March 18, 2023

NEED PAST ISSUES?

Search our archive of past issues Receive our Latest Updates
* indicates required
  • Local
  • National
  • Community
  • Education
  • Politics
  • COVID-19
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports

ARTICLES

  • Local
  • National
  • Community
  • Education
  • Politics
  • COVID-19
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports

CONNECT WITH US

  • Home
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

  • Hispanic News
  • Shirley Ann’s Flower Shop
African American News and Issues

African American News & Issues
6130 Wheatley St
Houston, TX 77091
(713) 692-1892

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Copyright © 2023. African American News & Issues. All rights reserved. Private Policy | Terms of Use |

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • National
  • Local
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Education
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Announcements
  • Events
  • Afram TV
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023. African American News & Issues. All rights reserved. Private Policy | Terms of Use |

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?