Thanks to 24-7 Diagnostic Testing Available At Bayshore Community Hospital

"Chest pain can be anything," says cardiologist Raed Jitan, MD, FACC, "but a life-threatening aneurysm is infrequent." Fortunately though, when 44-year old Christopher Stevens, a Brick resident, arrived at the John Boyd and Kathryn Roberta Mitchell Pavilion for Emergency Services at Bayshore Community Hospital in Holmdel complaining of a pulled muscle after lifting a case of apples at the Stop + Shop in Aberdeen where he is an assistant produce manager, the physicians and staff were reluctant to simply send him home.

"Diagnosis is the key," continues Jitan. "We ruled out heart attack. There were no previously existing conditions such as diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, a sedentary lifestyle, or previous heart disease. His symptoms were not typical of an aneurysm yet we suspected some problem with his heart."

Other than what he thought was a badly pulled muscle, Stevens felt fine and wanted to be discharged. His wife insisted he stay for further testing, which ultimately saved his life.

"He was a walking time bomb," says Dr. Jitan. "Had he lifted one more box of apples, the result could have been fatal." An echocardiogram, a diagnostic test not usually available on weekends at most hospitals, saved Stevens’s life.

"It was a critical discovery which could have ended in disaster," says Bayshore Community Hospital’s certified echo technician, Chris Zitani, RCS. "This patient could have met a fate similar to that of John Ritter."

Ritter, the actor-comedian best known for his role as Jack Tripper on the TV sitcom, Three's Company, died in 2003 of an aortic dissection, an unrecognized and undetected flaw in the heart.

An aortic dissection may be caused by high blood pressure, family history of the condition, disease of connective tissue, or severe trauma to the chest. Aortic dissection results in a weakened blood vessel wall that may rupture at any time.

Expert diagnosis following an echocardiogram and surgery saved Stevens' life. Echocardiogram is a painless procedure. Using a handheld scanner as the patient rests on their side and their heart drops slightly into the chest cavity to create a cardiac window, Zitani was able to view between the ribs, through the patient’s lungs and directly into the heart. An echocardiogram studies heart muscle movement and valve function, and can detect murmurs, bacterial growths, tumors and blood clots.

"What I noticed on Mr. Stevens was a dilated aortic root. This is the base of the aorta, the body’s major blood vessel, where it connects to the heart. Once I took a measurement, I realized that the echocardiogram had revealed what is known as a 'critical result,' which means an emergency situation that is immediately life-threatening. The measure for determining 'critical results' in this circumstance is 5 centimeters, and Mr. Stevens was already at 8 centimeters. The aneurysmwas ready to rip open at any time. If not caught and treated, the patient would have died on the spot."

Stevens was transported to the intensive care unit immediately, while Zitani called Dr. Jitan. Medication helped to stabilize Stevens’ condition and prepare him for surgery to treat his aneurysm.

Zitani recalls, "I felt really good making the discovery and alerting Dr. Jitan, who took quick action." Zitani is no stranger to life-threatening heart disease. Twelve years ago, just seven weeks after he was married, Zitani had his own major heart attack at age 35. "It was a sudden attack, with no symptoms. Coronary disease runs in our family. My father had a major heart attack at age 39. He survived and will soon be 74."

The heart attack changed Zitani’s life. He decided to dedicate himself to becoming a healthcare professional and working with patients experiencing heart disease. Previously, he had been in the sales field. "I am extremely passionate about my work," says Zitani. "In this case, I was personally very concerned for the patient and glad that my diagnosis helped to save his life."

Today Christopher Stevens is back at work after heart surgery and cardiac rehabilitation. "I am very appreciative of the fast attention and care I received at Bayshore Community Hospital," says Stevens. "They really saved my life," he concludes.