A Watson woman is the first patient in Illinois to undergo a new procedure designed to treat atrial fibrillation, or AFib.

Seventy-five-year-old Carolyn Burk says she has experienced at least a 75 percent improvement in her health and is no longer taking medication for the condition after undergoing the procedure performed by Dr. Bharath Rajagopalan of Prairie Cardiovascular.

Burk has battled AFib since her teenage years. The condition causes irregular and often rapid heart rhythms that can increase the risk of stroke and heart failure.

Doctors were alerted to worsening episodes of AFib through a heart monitor implanted in Burk's chest. After the monitoring team detected uncontrolled episodes and multiple pauses in her heartbeat, surgery was scheduled within days.

The procedure utilized Abbott's Volt Pulsed Field Ablation system, a newer technology that uses short electrical pulses to target and destroy heart tissue responsible for abnormal heart rhythms. Unlike traditional ablation procedures that rely on heat or extreme cold, the technology is designed to reduce the risk of damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

Dr. Rajagopalan says the procedure represents the latest advancement in heart rhythm treatment and allows Prairie Cardiovascular to offer cutting-edge care close to home for patients in central Illinois.

Burk says she feels the procedure has given her a new lease on life and hopes the treatment will help others suffering from AFib.

According to the American Heart Association, people with atrial fibrillation are five times more likely to experience a stroke than those without the condition.