Atrial Septal Defect (ASD): Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

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New Jersey Mom With Rare Heart Condition To Go Home To Her Son After Life-saving Transplant

NEWARK, New Jersey -- The past year has been a nightmare for a first-time mother from New Jersey, who has had several heart-related emergencies after giving birth.

But thanks to a life-saving heart transplant, she's finally going home to her son.

Joseph Zion Griffith will celebrate his first birthday on February 1, and he will receive the best present he could ever have.

His mom will finally be released from the hospital, for the first time in over two months!

"It's been the hardest. He's so young," said heart transplant survivor Naiya Atkins.

Atkins has been in Newark Beth Israel Medical Center's advanced heart failure treatment and transplant program's medical wing since November 30.

She's a second-grade teacher and a new mom. Her doctor called her at work that day and told her that tests revealed her heart was failing, and to head straight to the hospital.

There was nothing in Atkins' medical history that suggested she had heart issues. She gave birth to Joseph with no issues and went home.

"Seventeen days later I felt lightheaded. Hot and cold, you know I'm attributing it to being a new mom," Atkins recalled.

It turns out, she had a rare heart condition called Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection, or SCAD.

"The artery spontaneously dissects or tears apart, and when that happens, the amount of blood flowing through there reduces drastically," explained cardiologist Dr. Fazal Ali.

Atkins was in and out of the hospital after her son's birth as doctors tried to save her heart.

Unfortunately, doctors could not save Atkins' heart.

She was admitted on November 30, and on January 6, she got a new heart.

"I couldn't believe it. I had only been on the list for less than three weeks," Atkins said.

Her husband Tristan has been at home raising Joseph.

Now, he's overjoyed to have his wife and the mother of his child at home.

"You live your life a certain way and you think you have it figured out, and then things happen and it's like, that's the love of my life. My soulmate," Tristan Griffith said.

Atkins had zero symptoms all her life, she said, until one day they showed up.

Dr. Ali says that's why prenatal care is so important, and so is knowing the signs of a heart attack in women.

"Abdominal pain, it could be shortness of breath, which would be a common one, it could be palpitations, and sometimes women like Naiya don't experience palpitations but instead they feel lightheaded or dizzy, and that could be the heart working harder or strained," Dr. Ali said.

Fortunately, it was caught in time, and life will move forward for the young family.

"I made it through," Atkins said.

Surge In Flu, COVID-19 Infections Linked To Increase In Heart Problems

Flu and COVID-19 are sweeping across the country, posing a particular hazard to people at risk for heart disease.

These respiratory infections can trigger heart complications from fever, dehydration and inflammation, experts from Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital say.

Mount Sinai doctors are seeing an increase in heart problems prompted by respiratory infections, and it's happening across all age groups -- even among young adults in their 20s.

Inflammation can prompt heart attacks in people with clogged arteries, and it can also exacerbate symptoms related to heart failure or heart rhythm disorders, doctors said.

"Winter can raise cardiovascular risks in a number of ways, including due to flu season," said Dr. Deepak Bhatt, director of the Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital.

"People with cardiovascular disease or multiple risk factors for heart disease are particularly susceptible to developing cardiac problems if they get really sick from a respiratory infection," Bhatt said in a hospital news release. "Identifying and controlling cardiovascular risk factors, as well as basic measures to try to prevent infections, are ways to avoid a potential double whammy of a bad infection triggering a heart attack."

Heart disease is the leading cause of death among U.S. Men and women, and nearly half of adults have some type of heart disease.

Nearly 700,000 people die every year from heart disease, and eight out of 10 deaths are preventable, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

High blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, excess weight, smoking and age are all risk factors for heart disease.

Ways to limit your risk of heart disease -- and the likelihood that an infection will cause heart problems -- include:

Knowing your family history of heart problems

Tracking your blood pressure, total cholesterol, "good" HDL cholesterol, body-mass index and blood sugar levels

Eating healthy

Limiting alcohol consumption to one drink a day

Quitting smoking and vaping

Exercising regularly

Lowering stress and focusing on mental health

Learning the warning signs of heart attack and stroke -- chest discomfort, shortness of breath, breaking out in a cold sweat, lightheadedness and pain in the arms, back, neck or jaw

"If you get sick and have chest pain or are out of breath, and it's getting worse -- especially if you have an underlying heart condition or risk factors such as obesity, diabetes or a family history of heart disease-don't assume it's not serious or just a viral syndrome," said Dr. Icilma Fergus, director of cardiovascular disparities for the Mount Sinai Health System.

"Consider seeing a healthcare provider right away, and call 911 if the symptoms of chest pain, dizziness or shortness of breath develop," Fergus added.

Fergus recommends that people get their appropriate flu and COVID-19 vaccinations, to lessen the severity of any infection they might get.

"Viral syndromes are so commonplace that many people aren't taking these viruses as seriously anymore," Fergus said.

More information

Harvard Medical School has more about flu and the heart.

Caffeine In Panera's Charged Lemonade Blamed For 'permanent' Heart Problems In Third Lawsuit

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