Louise Swierzinski

For more than 18 months, Louise Swierzinski felt her life was out-of-control. Virtually every day, she would experience fainting spells, and doctors could offer no explanation. Her body was bruised from falling, and she rarely left the house for fear of hurting herself. The normal lifestyle Louise had previously enjoyed was slipping away.

In July 2001, Louise went to Deborah Heart & Lung Center in Browns Mills, New Jersey USA, to seek another medical opinion. Doctors determined Louise was suffering from several heart-related conditions, including paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF), sick sinus syndrome and neurocardiogenic syncope. Tests showed her blood pressure was dropping to dangerously low levels.

Initially, Louise was treated with medication, but the fainting spells continued. Within months, her doctors told her she would need a pacemaker to regulate her heart. In November 2001, Louise became the first U.S. patient to receive St. Jude Medical's newly approved Identity® pacemaker with AF Suppression™, the first clinically proven algorithm to suppress atrial fibrillation.

AF is the world's most common cardiac arrhythmia, affecting 5 million people like Louise worldwide. The AF Suppression algorithm represents a new standard of care for atrial fibrillation, a condition that can significantly affect a person's quality of life.

Immediately following her surgery, Louise felt an amazing difference. Remarkably, she has had no fainting episodes since the pacemaker implant. After months of being housebound, Louise is enjoying walks on the beach, swimming, ice-skating, cooking, and reading.

"Before the surgery, I was afraid to even cross the street," says Louise. "Now I'm back to my old self, which is a wonderful feeling. It's a miracle!"