In the spectrum of heart attacks, a form called STEMI is rising in the ranks. A sudden blockage of one of the coronary arteries, about a quarter-million Americans a year experience one.
“STEMIs are more common then we expect, because heart disease is a number one disease in the American society. So our number one, chief complaint coming through our doors in the emergency room is chest pain. And of those there’s a significant numbers who have STEMIs,” says Dr. Larry Hobbs, ER physician with Lee Memorial Health System.
Symptoms may include: chest pains, shortness of breath, excessive sweating, heartburn, light-headedness, nausea and heart palpitations. It may come on gradually over several minutes. This type of heart attack carries substantial risk and needs immediate action.
“We’re geared up 24/7 providing STEMI care. And the care necessary to take care of that disease is an immediate angioplasty,” says Dr. Hobbs.
Researchers noticed that heart attacks rise around the holidays - some studies report a spike on Christmas and New Year’s Day. Regardless of the festivities, people need to be aware. For best outcomes, people should be treated within 90 minutes.
Shaving response time makes a difference. Calling 911 instead of driving to the hospital saves about 10 minutes. And now EMS units are being equipped with EKG’s to diagnose a STEMI on the way to the hospital and transfer data to the ER. That could trim another eight minutes.
“The American Heart Associate asked that STEMIs be ‘door’ which is the time they arrive to ‘balloon’ time, time they open up the artery, of 90 minutes. Here at Gulf Coast Medical Center and HealthPark combined we have a 73 minute door-to-balloon time,” says Dr. Hobbs.
A heart-saver, the quicker doctors reopen the artery, the more likely that patient will lead a normal life.