CityView Magazine

every SECOND counts! H H H Do you know the early warning signs of a heart attack? Knowing could mean the difference between life and death. Five million Americans are rushed to emergency departments every year, complaining of chest pain or other heart attack symptoms. The longer the wait, the more damage occurs to the heart. Nearly 85 percent of the damage occurs during the first two hours after an attack. The number of heart attacks in the U.S. is staggering. For every 25 ticks off the clock, an American will have some kind of coronary event. And every 60 seconds, someone will die from one. The old adage rings true: every second counts when it comes to treating heart attacks. Knowing the subtle signs of a heart attack, and acting immediately upon them, can greatly increase chances of survival. c a p e f e a r The signs include: ��� Chest pressure, squeezing or discomfort ��� Pain in your arm, back, neck, jaw or stomach ��� Shortness of breath ��� Dizziness ��� Cold sweats ��� Nausea ��� Unusual weakness EMS professionals can start Early Heart Attack Care (EHAC) on patients even before they arrive at the hospital. Cape Fear Valley is part of a statewide network of more than 100 hospitals and 700 EMS systems that work together to provide timely care to heart attack patients. The network is called Mission: Lifeline and it���s in partnership with the American Heart Association. v a l l e y h e a r t a n d The goal is for smaller, rural hospitals without Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI, also known as coronary angioplasty) capability to funnel heart attack patients to larger facilities that have around-the-clock coverage. Cape Fear Valley Medical Center is a PCI Center, receiving patients from Bladen, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Robeson and Sampson counties. Patients transported by ambulance are immediately hooked up to an EKG machine. Results are transmitted in real time to Emergency Physicians. Cape Fear Valley has a dedicated team of ED physicians and cardiologists who receive patients at the ambulance door. The patients can be taken straight to the second floor cardiac catheterization lab for interventional treatment. v a s c u l a r c e n t e r

• Cover