New Heart Attack Program Designed To Save Your Life When Others Can’t

It can start with simple unexplained sweating.

Maybe you feel sick to your stomach.

Or it could be more overt, like a pain in your chest.

Maybe you’re not feeling well, but a heart attack? It’s unlikely.

That’s the kind of assumption that can be dead wrong.

When you or a loved one is having a cardiac incident, time isn’t your friend. The sooner you seek treatment, the better your chances of surviving and doing less damage to the vital organ.

And now there’s a new front in this war on a killer. It’s called STEMI, a short acronym for the long title of ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

It’s part of a new program designed to allow paramedics to transport a patient with a cardiac attack-causing blood clot from any local hospital to a special facility at Trillium Health Centre in Mississauga, where a new treatment regimen promises to help them within 90 minutes of arrival.

“We know that if from the time that someone has chest pain to the time at which we have them here and the artery is open, if it’s under 90 minutes, they will almost always have a complete recovery,” explains Dr. Randy Watson, Cardiologist at Trillium Health Centre.

There are drugs that dissolve the clots, of course, but they’re not always immediately effective and there’s not always time for a second option.

The experts perform a procedure called primary percutaneous coronary intervention, once known as an angioplasty.

It involves having a balloon-tipped tube or catheter reach the troubled spot near the heart, and inflated, widening the artery and allowing the blood to flow.

The program has been in place since December 2008 and immediately paid dividends. On Wednesday, the very first patient saved using the new program came back to the hospital for an emotional reunion with the doctors and nurses who helped save his life.

At first, 43-year-old John Hardiman didn’t even realize he was having a heart attack.

“It wasn’t in my heart of anything like that like you see on TV.  It was in my back and my arms,” he explains.

“Lucky. I guess that would be the word.”

But as effective as the treatment might be, nothing will help if you don’t recognize the signs and get help.

The early stages of a heart attack can mimic many things, from the flu to a dizzy spell. It’s essential you don’t ignore it and hope it will go away. Here are the signs to watch out for.

Pain

This is usually the main symptom and there are various kinds to watch out for.

-Sudden discomfort that does not go away with rest
-May be in the chest, neck, jaw, shoulder, arms or back
-May feel like burning, squeezing, heaviness, tightness or pressure
-May be more vague in women
-Chest pain or discomfort brought on with exertion and goes away with rest
-Watch for pain that goes away and then returns.

Other warning signs

-Shortness of breath
-Difficulty breathing
-Nausea
-Indigestion
-Vomiting
-Sweating
-Cool, clammy skin
-Fear
-Anxiety
-Denial

What To Do Next

-Call 911 immediately. Time is of the essence and you may not have it to waste.

-Sit or lie down in whatever comfortable position you can find.

-If you’re experiencing chest pain, chew and swallow one adult 325 mg aspirin tablet or two 80 mg tablets. Pain medicines such as acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or ibuprofen (such as Advil) don’t work the same way as ASA (Aspirin) and won’t be effective.

-If you have an existing heart condition and your doctor prescribed nitroglycerin, take the recommended dose.

-Restrict activity and wait for the ambulance to arrive. Don’t try and get to the hospital yourself. You may not make it and could cause an accident. Paramedics will get you there faster and can help treat you on the way.

Sources: Heart and Stroke Foundation/American Heart Association