Florida Hospital Best in Care - Fall 2011 - (Page 7)

THE TICKING CLOCK When a heart attack occurs, a portion of heart muscle is dying. This is often caused by a blocked blood vessel that interrupts blood ﬂow to the heart. Prompt restoration is the best way to reduce the chance of permanent damage or disability. “With many new treatments available today, we’re seeing many heart attacks that are essentially stopped in their tracks,” says Dr. Taussig. “We can perform tests on the heart a day or two later and it’s as if the attack never happened.” But even the best treatments can only do so much if you wait too long to go to the hospital. That’s why it’s critical to know the signs of a heart attack. Sometimes the condition will make itself known with crushing chest pain that radiates down the left arm. At other times, there’s no chest pain at all, or the pain may come and go. It may feel like indigestion, or a sense of great discomfort or tightness anywhere from the jaw down to the stomach, in either arm or in the back. Symptoms may or may not be accompanied by nausea or sweating. Shortness of breath is another major warning sign, which may appear with pain or by itself. It’s essential to act quickly if other risk factors for a heart attack exist. These include being middle-aged or older, being overweight or a smoker, and having diabetes or high blood pressure. “Don’t try to outthink a heart attack — time really is muscle,” reiterates Dr. Taussig. “Call 9-1-1 immediately so treatment can begin as soon as possible.” No matter how long it takes someone to reach a hospital, treatment will be much the same. But it’s the outcome that can di er dramatically with the passage of time. THE 1 HOUR: OPTIMAL OUTCOMES When you arrive at the hospital, the priority is to restore blood ﬂow to your heart. To accomplish this, blood-thinning medications including aspirin may be administered, which also can be taken at the ﬁrst signs of a heart attack. Your medical team might restore blood ﬂow with a cardiac catheterization, known as angioplasty. A tiny balloon and a wire mesh tube called a stent are inserted into a blocked blood vessel to prop it open and restore blood ﬂow. When angioplasty is performed within the ﬁrst 60 to 90 minutes of a heart attack, there’s a good chance heart muscle will be spared permanent damage. THE 3 HOUR: MANAGEABLE DAMAGE Three hours after heart attack symptoms begin, the possibility of irreversible damage to the heart muscle increases, explains Dr. Taussig. However, damage still can be substantially moderated, he adds. When someone reaches a hospital within four hours of the ﬁrst symptom, the likelihood of death is 5 percent or less. Chances for long hospital stays and recovery periods are also reduced. THE 6 HOUR AND BEYOND: FACING THE CONSEQUENCES When heart attack symptoms have been under way for six hours or more, the medical team will remain focused on restoring blood ﬂow. But they will be responding to the consequences of the heart attack, too. As time increases, so do the chances of permanent loss of heart muscle and death. “Living with a damaged heart is something I wouldn’t wish on anybody,” cautions Dr. Taussig. “Learn to recognize the signs of a heart attack; there’s no badge of honor for trying to tough it out. The sooner you seek help, the greater the likelihood that we can save heart muscle and save lives.” PROTECT YOUR HEART, GET IT CHECKED FOR FREE is November and early December, Florida Hospital is oﬀering FREE EKG screenings. Space is limited. To reserve your appointment, call (407) 303-BEST (2378). HEALTHY 00tips MASSAGE IS A HEALTHY HABIT While it seems like a luxury, you can justify a massage because it increases blood ﬂow to the brain, decreases anxiety levels and drops levels of the detrimental “fat” hormone, cortisol. FloridaHospital.com 7 http://www.FloridaHospital.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Florida Hospital Best in Care - Fall 2011

Florida Hospital Best in Care - Fall 2011
Divine Intervention
With heart attack symptoms, time is crucial
The operating room of the future is here
Understand what mystery pains mean
Calendar

Florida Hospital Best in Care - Fall 2011