David Malik

Most recovering patients have important milestones. But rarely are they vertical.

In January 2002, David Malik, a man who had suffered for 30 years with a debilitating condition called atrial fibrillation, climbed to the 19,340 foot peak of Mount Kilamanjaro. His ascent was a personal triumph as well as testament to the power of catheter ablation, a medical procedure that has revolutionized the treatment of certain types of arrhythmias, or irregular heart rhythms. Malik's journey to the top of Africa's tallest mountain begins about 30 years ago.

Malik, at the time a college student, had been feeling exhausted and unwell. He ended up in the emergency room of the local hospital, and after an electrocardiogram, it was determined that he was suffering from atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is an abnormal heart rhythm in which the two small upper chambers of the heart -- the atria -- quiver instead of beating so blood isn't pumped effectively. Patients who suffer from the condition are at increased risk for stroke. Malik, now a 51-year-old attorney living outside of Cleveland, said that he didn't think much about the diagnosis at first, but as time went on, his condition became difficult to ignore.

Over the years, the episodes of atrial fibrillation grew more frequent. Some required Malik to undergo cardioversion, when a shock is delivered to the heart to restore its normal rhythm. Although Malik was treated with various medications, none seemed to work for very long. Day-to-day living was often a struggle and although Malik tried to stay physically active, it wasn't easy.

"I was constantly exhausted and felt shortness of breath," Malik told the Cleveland Jewish News. It was very "distracting, frightening and frustrating." After a particularly bad bout with his condition in 1999, Malik heard about the relatively new procedure, catheter ablation, that was being done at the Cleveland Clinic where he was a patient. He was intrigued.

In the procedure, a catheter, which is simply a long, flexible probe, is used to locate the exact location of the arrhythmia's source. Once the site is identified, the problematic heart muscle cells are eliminated with high frequency radio waves. Obliterating these cells stops the area from conducting the extra impulses that cause the irregular heart beat. The procedure has a high success rate and a relatively low risk of complications, according to the American Heart Association. When successful, ablation completely cures the patient.

Andrea Natale, M.D., a Cleveland Clinic cardiologist and a pioneer in the field of catheter-based treatment for atrial fibrillation, determined that Malik was a good candidate for ablation. In March 2000, he performed the procedure.

"I was told that I would begin to notice a difference in how I felt at the 90-day mark," Malik recently recalled. "After the ablation, I was nervous because I kept having arrhythmias. On the 60th day, I went off my medication, Coumadin. But I still wasn't feeling different. Then on the 90th day, I had a great day. And the next day I had a great day, and the day after that and those days turned into weeks and now those weeks are years. It was bizarre. The 90th day really was the turning point." Malik has not even had to see a cardiologist for follow up.

After his recovery, Malik didn't know what to do with all his extra energy. He began researching mountain climbing and decided this might be a good channel for his newfound vitality. He started working out regularly at a gym, biking and swimming, with the ultimate goal of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. It was slow going. At first, he could walk on the treadmill at the minimum speed for only 15 minutes at a time. Now he easily does 45-60 minutes, at the steepest elevation. His strength also increased exponentially. Malik eventually began doing practice climbs, scaling six of CoIorado's so-called "Fourteeners," peaks that are at least 14,000 feet high.

Then in January 2002, less than two years after his catheter ablation, Malik and his girlfriend Leah Dicker reached the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, after an arduous, seven-day climb.

"It turned out to be both a mental and physical challenge," Malik told the Cleveland Jewish News last year. At 18,000 feet, he began suffering from altitude sickness and the strong wind and bitter temperatures made it difficult to sleep. But Malik woke up the next morning, determined to reach the summit. "There was a break in the clouds and the view was amazing. I was feeling great and I didn't want to descend". Malik's next goal is to climb Washington state's Mt. Rainer, a 14,000 foot high volcano known for its icy precipices and expansive snow fields.

Above all, Malik believes that with his recovery comes an obligation to act as an advocate for catheter ablation. "I have a responsibility to show others what technology and good medicine can do," he told EP Lab Digest. "It is my personal challenge, and I get a lot of satisfaction talking to others about it."

This patient story may not be typical. Individual symptoms, situations and circumstances vary and response to therapy is not always the same. Please consult your physician or health care provider regarding your condition, treatment or any specific questions regarding your care.