Emergency Heart Care
at John C. Lincoln Hospitals
A heart attack can happen at any moment, with very little warning. When emergency treatment is needed, every minute matters. The sooner a life-saving treatment can be delivered, the greater the chances are for full recovery. Faster treatment can save heart muscle and improve the quality of a patient’s life following treatment.
Both John C. Lincoln hospitals are staffed by experts in emergency heart care. Our emergency physicians, nurses and cardiologists work closely with pre-hospital paramedics to ensure the swiftest, most well-coordinated response to cases of cardiac arrest.
Caring for Heart Emergencies
The race to a cardiac emergency begins with a call to 911. To assess a patient’s health, a paramedic will assess whether to perform an electrocardiogram (or EKG) in the ambulance. To prepare the emergency room, the paramedic often relays the results of this test.
If a heart attack is evident, an Emergency Department physician will then alert our Cardiac Cath Lab, so that it’s prepared for the patient’s arrival. Treatments might include an angioplasty (inserting a tube through a blood vessel in the groin to the site of blockage, then inflating a tiny balloon to open the artery and restore blood flow) or thrombolytic therapy (chemicals that break down blockages in the arteries). In the event of angioplasty, door-to-ballon time is a critical factor.
Door-to-balloon Time Explained
Door-to-balloon time (or "D2B") is a new way of measuring the time required to give a patient emergency treatment for the heart attack. According to this program of care, no more than 90 minutes should elapse between the second the emergency room’s doors swing open to the moment a patient's blocked coronary artery is opened with an angioplasty balloon.
For fast door-to-balloon times to be possible, there must be coordination and excellent communication between pre-hospital paramedics, hospital staff and cardiologists. In January 2007, the mean door-to-balloon time at our Deer Valley Hospital was 63.75 minutes.
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