Heart Attack Care
During a heart attack, every minute counts. Learn how to save your heart by seeking medical attention at the first sign of a heart attack.
What Does a Heart Attack Feel Like?
You could experience a heart attack as:
- Sudden, severe pain
- Gradual, increasing discomfort over several hours
- Mild symptoms over a few hours or days
Call 911 as soon as you notice symptoms such as:
- Chest tightness, pressure, burning, or aching—especially if it gets worse with activity and lessens with rest
- Discomfort in the shoulder, arm, back, neck, jaw, or upper belly
- Cold sweats
- Unusual fatigue or weakness
- Heartburn or indigestion
- Nausea
- Shortness of breath
Don’t try to explain away your symptoms or “wait them out.” Most heart damage occurs in the first two hours of a heart attack. Seek medical care right away to protect your long-term health—and even save your life.
Treatment to Stop a Heart Attack
Heart attacks happen when a buildup of fat, cholesterol, and other substances blocks the flow of blood and oxygen through an artery to your heart. To restore blood flow and stop the heart attack, Southern Ohio Medical Center uses a procedure called angioplasty. A doctor inserts a tiny balloon-tipped catheter into an artery and guides it up to the blockage. The balloon inflates, widening the blood
vessel. Then, the doctor places a tiny wire-mesh tube called a stent in the artery to keep it open. The stent stays in your body, but your doctor withdraws the balloon.
On average, we provide angioplasty within than the national standard/recommendation of less than 90 minutes.
Your Time in the Hospital
You may need to stay in our hospital’s heart care unit for two to three days or longer, depending on:
- Severity of the heart attack
- Your overall health
- Results of tests your doctors order, such as:
- Electrocardiogram (EKG)
- Blood tests
- Chest X-rays
- Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound)
- Cardiac computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Prevent Another Heart Attack
Angioplasty treated one or more clogged arteries that caused your heart attack. But you may still have other blocked blood vessels. To reduce the risk of another heart attack, your doctor may recommend coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. This procedure moves healthy blood vessels to your heart to create a new path for blood to flow around clogged arteries. That helps ensure your heart has a steady supply of blood and oxygen.
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Safely restore your strength and endurance after a heart attack or heart surgery with cardiac rehabilitation. We’ll develop an exercise and education program to meet your goals for a healthier life. With one-on-one guidance and group classes, you’ll get the valuable tools you need to recover.
