Heart Care in Calhoun
Whatever your heart needs, the AdventHealth Gordon heart care team is here. In the case of cardiac failure or another emergency event, we act quickly with response times that are faster than the national average. Our heart care program has expanded to include percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) for STEMI and non-STEMI heart attacks 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week.
“We can now treat acute heart attacks at any time of the day or night,” said Destiny Howe, manager of AdventHealth Gordon’s cardiac catheterization lab and interventional radiology. “With the partnership of our AdventHealth Gordon and Murray EMS teams and AdventHealth Gordon and Murray emergency departments, we are able to recognize the signs of an acute heart attack and have our cath lab team on call to respond within 30 minutes to intervene and open up the blocked coronary artery causing the acute event.”
Heart Attack Symptoms
In a serious medical emergency, it’s important to act quickly. That’s long been the advice of experts who treat heart attacks, and that remains true. The classic heart attack symptoms can develop slowly or happen suddenly. They include:
- Ache in your neck, jaw, shoulders, arms or back
- Cold sweats or clamminess
- Feeling lightheaded
- Pain in your chest that feels like tightness, pressure or squeezing
But some people (often women) can have more subtle heart attack symptoms that are easily mistaken for other health conditions, such as anxiety. These include:
- Dizziness
- Heartburn or constant indigestion
- Nausea
- Pressure between your shoulder blades
- Rapid heartbeat
- Trouble sleeping
- Unexplained extreme fatigue that can last for days
Care Close to Home
Visitors and residents of Gordon or Murray counties can rest easier knowing they will receive the same quality care they would expect in a larger city. Our team is committed to providing quality heart care close to home.
“If a patient in Murray County calls EMS with chest pain or shows up in the emergency room with the same complaint, we are prepared to act within minutes,” said Howe. “We have new technology connected with our EMS rigs and ED rooms that can send an EKG right to the hands of a doctor to view and diagnose a life-threatening heart attack. In a disease where seconds count, we have worked to ensure that we are quickly finding the cause and intervening if possible.”
The cath lab team is on call to respond quickly so blood flow can be restored and heart muscle preserved. Our EMS teams can quickly transfer a patient from AdventHealth Murray to the AdventHealth Gordon cath lab.
“We are able to offer a complete cardiac work-up to include stress testing, an echocardiogram and a diagnostic heart cath, if needed, for Murray inpatients under the care of our cardiologists,” said Howe. “Once the work-up is complete, the patient will be transferred back to AdventHealth Murray to remain closer to home for the next steps in their journey to better health.”
Know Your Risks
Understanding your risk factors for a heart attack is often your best defense. Risk factors include:
- Blood pressure
- Cholesterol levels
- Use of cigarettes
- Weight
Talk with your doctor about lifestyle changes that can help you reduce your risk for heart disease. With the proper guidance and support, you can make positive changes that improve your whole health.
Connected Network of Care
With the acquisition of AdventHealth Redmond, we can now offer comprehensive cardiac care across Northwest Georgia with our connected cardiovascular network. AdventHealth Redmond offers advanced treatments and procedures such as electrophysiology and cardiothoracic surgery so patients in Gordon or Murray counties can feel assured that if their cardiac condition needs advanced services, they will be in the best care at AdventHealth Redmond.
“Our patients can have confidence that they are in good hands and will be followed closely during their treatment duration at any of our hospitals,” said Howe.
Act Fast with Heart Attack Symptoms
Reduce or eliminate the risk factors within your control and learn the warning signs for all types of heart attacks. Most importantly, if you ever think you’re having a heart attack, call 911 immediately. AdventHealth’s connected cardiovascular network is here to take care of your heart. Learn more at GeorgiaHeartExperts.com.
