New frontier in cardiovascular health for region residents

The data also showed that these rates were higher in regional Australia than in metropolitan areas. This could be attributed to the lack of cardiovascular care in rural areas.

However, technology is the new frontier and promising cardiovascular equipment could save countless lives.

Jeannine Oman lived on a farm in Lancaster with her husband Greg Oman and raised cattle, horses and sheep.

She loved the freedom and the endless grasslands.

Mrs Oman was diagnosed with cardiovascular disease when she developed a persistent cough, dizziness and constant fatigue.

Mrs Oman went to her GP in Geelong, Michael Roberts, who said he had tested everything except the heart.

“He said, ‘I’ve done every test you can think of except your heart,’ so we did heart tests and that’s how we found out I had cardiomyopathy,” she said.

Cardiomyopathy is a condition in which your heart is damaged and becomes harder to pump blood through your body.

Mrs Oman was relieved to receive the diagnosis but was shocked to discover it was a cardiovascular condition.

“I’ve never had anything that would indicate any problems with my heart… I’ve never had high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes or anything,” she said.

“When we bought the farm, I always said to Greg, ‘As long as we have each other, that’s all that matters. We can’t buy health.’

“It goes without saying that I lost a little of mine, and he lost all of his.”

In July 2023, Mr Oman died of a heart attack.

It was a huge blow to the Oman family, including the couple’s son, daughter and three grandchildren, who were left with only Mrs Oman.

From that moment on, Mrs. Oman decided she had to take her heart health seriously.

“You could have blown us over with a feather, because suddenly the strong person we all knew was vulnerable,” she said.

“It was a shock, but I didn’t let it get me down. I just thought, oh well, it is what it is, I have to stand up and fight.”

She worked with Dr. Ryan Spencer, who specializes in cardiovascular health, but she hadn’t seen many positive results from medications alone.

“After 12 months, Ryan Spencer decided he wasn’t getting the results he wanted, so last September he had a pacemaker defibrillator fitted,” she said.

“So far so good.”

Dr Spencer grew up in the Macedon Ranges and so knows the challenges the region faces when it comes to healthcare and access to specialist clinics that help people with cardiovascular disease.

When he moved to Geelong to start a family and work as a cardiologist, he still wanted to care for patients in the countryside.

“It was originally designed by the federal government as an initiative to bring specialist care to rural areas, so we started using telehealth and video conferencing with patients in the western districts and all the way up to South Australia,” he said.

“Then other technologies came along that improved the patient and physician experience in remote monitoring with pacemakers and defibrillators, as well as wearable technology.”

During a meeting with Ms Oman, Dr Spencer said she had a “very weak heart muscle” which showed no improvement after taking medication.

“She was still struggling, so we implanted a pacemaker and a defibrillator in one device, and that got her heart back on track,” he said.

“Pacemaker therapy was a completely life-changing experience for her. She went from a state where her heart was probably only at 40 percent capacity to a state where it is now almost 100 percent.”

The pacemaker and defibrillator send live data to Dr. Spencer, where he can monitor everything from heart rate to fluid intake.

Mrs. Oman can also enter her concerns and problems into an app that is connected to the monitor. The app sends the concerns and problems directly to Dr. Spencer.

“The data we get from the pacemaker helps us optimize the medical therapy, a tablet-based therapy, and allows us to get the best tablets for her.”

The device allowed Dr Spencer in Geelong to receive Mrs Oman’s data from more than 275km away, on her new farm on the outskirts of Kyabram.

It shortens the travel time Mrs. Oman would have to make for regular appointments, allowing her to spend more time with the people who are important in her life: her family.

“Without Greg it’s a bit lonely — I mean, you do everything with your partner. I still look forward to messages or a phone call, but it’s nearly 12 months so we’re going to celebrate him in the Tongala pub,” she said.

Ms Oman said she hopes this technology will soon become more accessible.

“I sincerely hope that the government supports Ryan and lets people know that this stuff is even available,” she said.

“If you have this, you can be sure that you can live independently and live independently. I think that is very important.

“If I hadn’t gone to Ryan, I don’t know where I would be.”

Dr. Spencer stressed that people over the age of 40 who live in rural or regional areas should consult their doctor about their heart health.

“Everyone is busy, especially when you’re on the farm. There’s always a million things going through your mind, but go to your doctor and talk about your heart health,” he said.

“A little bit of prevention makes a big difference in the long run, so we encourage people to visit their local GP to talk about it specifically.”