Heart Emergencies Require Timely Care
4/12/2021
Pay attention to the warning signs and don’t let the pandemic stop you
GADSDEN, Alabama, April 12, 2021 – We’ve changed habits and actions to protect our health during the pandemic, but one thing still remains the same – we need to take quick action with a possible heart attack or stroke. Life-threatening blockages and arrhythmias need timely detection and treatment to support the best possible outcome. Waiting to get help can increase the damage to heart muscle or brain tissue.
Gadsden Regional Medical Center has deep resources ready to support diagnosis and intervention in the event of heart attack or stroke. Our cardiac care teams provide complete heart care services—from helping you create a heart-healthy lifestyle to performing potentially lifesaving procedures in emergency situations. Gadsden Regional has an on-site cardiac catheterization lab and several employed cardiothoracic surgeons. Gadsden Regional is a Stroke Accredited Center by the Joint Commission and is an Accredited Chest Pain Center with PCI.
“Our team stands ready to serve and the sooner we can see a patient to assess and intervene on their heart disease, the better,” states Dr. Sudhan Nagarajan, cardiothoracic surgeon. “The hospital has great resources to help patients and has taken important precautions to enhance safety in light of the pandemic. Timely action and COVID-19 safety are top of our minds at all times."
Concern for safety during the pandemic has kept many people from seeking medical help and that can get in the way of timely treatment in an emergency. Gadsden Regional is actively working to maintain a safe place patients can get medical help whether for a medical emergency or routine care.
The hospital’s precautions include enhanced practices for infection prevention, restricted access to the facility, and furniture arrangement to support social distancing and patient flow. Caregivers practice infection prevention including wearing personal protective equipment and washing hands before and after caring for each patient. Care for any COVID-19 positive patients is in a separate, designated unit.
“As a cardiologist on the front line last year there was a 50% drop in the number of heart attacks being treated in emergency rooms across the country. We have no data as to how many died as a result,” states Brian McGwier, M.D., cardiologist. “The conclusion is patients are afraid of COVID. Your chance of dying from COVID is very small compared to the risk of dying from an untreated heart attack. Please don’t ignore symptoms of a heart, and go to the emergency room as soon as possible.”
Calling 9-1-1 for an ambulance is the best action rather than trying to drive to the hospital yourself when you or someone you are with experiences heart attack or stroke symptoms. EMS crews are trained to care for patients experiencing heart attack and stroke, so you’ll get medical care sooner.
Signs of a possible heart attack can include chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, and/or pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, back, arm or shoulder. Women also may feel nauseous, light-headed or unusually tired.
“Please, when the heart is not getting enough blood flow it can only give you a few warnings before a massive life-threatening heart attack,” says Darryl Prime, M.D., cardiologist. “Please listen to your body and get to the emergency room as soon as possible.”
Symptoms of a stroke can be remembered with the acronym F-A-S-T:
- Face drooping - Does one side of the face droop or is it numb?
- Arm weakness - Is one arm weak or numb?
- Speech difficulty - Is speech slurred, are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand?
- Time to call 9-1-1 - If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately.
If you need more information on your personal risk factors for heart disease, schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor, or visit GadsdenPhysicianClinics.com.
Source:
CDC.gov/heartdisease/heart-attack.htm
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