December 24, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: DEBORAH ROBERTS PUGH
(662) 377-3712
Visit www.nmhs.net for an electronic version of this
article.
COFFEEVILLE, Miss.—Gary Howell of Coffeeville missed his mother's birthday, but it probably saved his life.
The 66-year-old was planning a trip to Ohio during June to celebrate his mother's birthday, but he had a nagging health concern to tend to first. “I had been dizzy and short of breath,” he says. “I had been to other emergency rooms before and they would do an EKG and say I was fine.”
He wasn't experiencing symptoms when he came to North Mississippi Medical Center's Emergency Department in Tupelo, but he wanted to set his mind at ease before the trip. “I went just to have it checked,” says Howell, who retired from careers with the U.S. Navy and in construction.
When Howell arrived at NMMC, he was examined by the Emergency Department physician and evaluated with blood tests and an EKG (electrocardiogram), a test that records the electrical activity of the heart through small electrode patches attached to the chest, arms and legs.
“If the patient's EKG is abnormal, indicating poor blood flow to the heart, the patient automatically gets admitted to the hospital,” says Barry Bertolet, M.D., a board-certified cardiologist on staff at NMMC's Heart Institute.
Because Howell's first EKG came back normal, he was moved to NMMC's new Chest Pain Center for observation. The 15-bed unit is equipped with the latest diagnostic technology to determine if the patient has already suffered a heart attack, is in danger of suffering a heart attack, or if the chest pain is not heart-related.
“If the EKG and lab tests are normal, the patient is no longer having chest pain, or if he has only a few risk factors for heart disease—doesn’t smoke, has no personal or family history of heart problems—the patient is moved to the Chest Pain Center for observation,” Dr. Bertolet says. “This is done because a heart attack may not show up on the initial tests.”
Driven by protocols developed by the American College of Cardiology and approved by the American College of Emergency Physicians, the approach used in the Chest Pain Center speeds diagnosis and treatment during the critical early stages of heart attack when it is most effective.
After follow-up EKG and laboratory testing returned normal, Howell underwent an exercise stress test to see how his heart would respond to exertion. He failed the stress test miserably.
The next morning, Howell underwent a cardiac catheterization, a procedure that allows the cardiologist to see how well the heart is functioning. The test involves inserting a long, narrow tube, called a catheter, into a blood vessel in the patient's arm or leg, and using X-ray technology to guide it to the heart. The procedure revealed several blocked arteries to Howell's heart. He underwent bypass surgery to reroute blood flow around blockages in four coronary arteries so the heart can get its needed blood supply.
While Howell missed his trip because of a detour to the hospital, he doesn't mind. If he hadn't taken action, “I might not have made it,” he says.
Sidebar:
Dollars and Sense
NMMC's new Chest Pain Center makes good financial sense too. Before the Chest Pain Center opened, close to 95 percent of patients coming to the Emergency Department complaining of chest pain were admitted to the hospital for observation. Ruling out a heart attack in the Chest Pain Center costs one-fourth to one-half as much.
For more information on NMMC's new Chest Pain Center or other heart services, call 1-800-THE DESK (1-800-843-3375).
Warning Signs of a Heart Attack
· Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
· Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
· Shortness of breath. Often comes along with chest discomfort. But it also can occur before chest discomfort.
· Other symptoms. May include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or light-headedness.
· Symptoms in women may be different than men and include sleep disturbances, shortness of breath, fatigue, indigestion and chest pain.
Heart attack is a life-and-death emergency. If you see or experience any symptoms, get help immediately.