Chest Pain Center
If you or someone you're with experiences sudden chest pain, take it seriously. Don’t make the mistake of ignoring chest pain or believing that your discomfort isn't important. There are a variety of conditions that can cause chest pain—not all are serious but some, including heart attack, can...
STEMI Alert Program
Time is of the essence when it comes to heart attack treatment. Based on national standards, our Carilion Clinic STEMI Alert program speeds up the amount of time it takes to deliver life-saving care to people having heart attacks. Our streamlined approach is designed to deliver coordinated care by everyone at every step of the way, including EMS professionals, physicians and Carilion's heart care professionals.
EMS professionals in western Virginia are trained to work closely with our medical technicians, doctors and nurses. Starting while heart attack victims are on the way to the hospital, our STEMI Alert program provides simultaneous and comprehensive care with the goal of minimizing heart damage. Medical care is delivered faster and more efficiently, saving lives and reducing damage to the heart muscle.
A national initiative to improve heart attack care measures how quickly hospitals perform heart-saving procedures on heart attack patients. Beginning the moment a patient arrives at the hospital, the "door to balloon time" (referring to how quickly percutaneous coronary intervention, also called PCI, is performed to clear obstructions from the arteries and restore blood flow to the heart) should be within 90 minutes or less, according to The American College of Cardiology. At Carilion our average response time is approximately 30 minutes faster than the national standard.
We also have high success rates in treating heart attack patients with therapeutic hypothermia, a groundbreaking cooling therapy that reduces brain damage in patients who've suffered cardiac arrest. At Carilion we're justifiably proud of our fast, efficient and highly effective heart attack care.
If you're experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack, do not drive yourself to the hospital. Call 9-1-1 for emergency medical care.
Hands-Only CPR
Sudden cardiac arrest happens to anyone, anywhere, and at any time during life. Sudden cardiac arrest affects 350,000 people outside of the hospital setting every year. Current survival from sudden cardiac arrest is less than 10%. Preparation may be the difference between life and death for your neighbor, colleague, or loved one. The two most important interventions are bystanders providing quality chest compressions and the early use of an AED.
Would you know what to do if someone collapsed? Watch these videos to learn three simple steps to help save a life.
Know the Signs. Save a Life.
SIGNS OF A HEART ATTACK
Know the signs. Stay alive.
- Pressure or squeezing in the center of the chest
- Shooting pain that spreads to shoulders, arms, neck or jaw
- Dizziness, fainting, or sudden abnormal sweating
- Shortness of breath
- Heartburn or indigestion-like pain
- Extreme fatigue or exhaustion*
*Women may experience signs that may not be as easy to recognize, such as fatigue or feeling flu-like symptoms.
Don't ignore the signs of a heart attack.
If you have any of the signs, acting fast improves your chances for recovery. Our Heart Alert program fast-tracks heart attack patients to lifesaving care, and our Emergency Departments and accredited Chest Pain Center are prepared to treat any heart condition. Always call 911 when you feel any combination of these symptoms. Do not wait or try to drive yourself to the hospital.
SIGNS OF HEART FAILURE
Know the five. Stay alive.
- Weight gain – 2 – 3 pounds in one day, or 5 pounds in one week
- Shortness of breath – with little change in activity, dry cough or discomfort lying down
- Increased swelling – ankles, feet, legs, or abdomen
- Heart beat – fast or irregular rate
- Fatigue – extreme fatigue or exhaustion
Don't ignore the signs of heart failure.
More than 5 million people in the US are living with heart failure, a condition in which the heart cannot pump enough oxygenated blood to meet the needs of the body's other organs. The heart keeps pumping, but not as well as a healthy heart.
Education and close monitoring are key to managing heart failure. Develop healthy habits to avoid a potentially debilitating illness, and encourage your family and friends to too.
Always call 911 when you feel any combination of these symptoms. Do not wait or try to drive yourself to the hospital.
