‘Hello, 9-1-1? I Think I’m Having a Heart Attack!’

You know to call 9-1-1 if you’re having symptoms of a possible heart attack.

You know to call 9-1-1 if you’re having symptoms of a possible heart attack. But did you know that what happens after the call is just as important? “The quicker you get to the hospital and get treated, the better the chance you’ll avoid permanent heart damage,” says cardiologist George Persin, D.O., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network.

Here’s how caregivers inside and outside a specialty heart hospital work to get you the right treatment within 90 minutes of arrival—the “gold standard” of heart attack care. Lehigh Valley Hospital has a program called MI Alert for Heart Attacks to ensure this.

On Your Way

The call: The 9-1-1 dispatcher asks you a series of questions—Are you breathing normally? Are you clammy or sweaty? Do you have a history of heart disease?—so he or she can respond appropriately.

60-90 seconds after your call: The dispatcher calls the nearest ambulance corps.

6-7 minutes* after your call: An ambulance and two paramedics or emergency medical technicians (EMTs) arrive at your door. They give you oxygen to help you breathe, and aspirin to thin your blood in case a clot is blocking an artery (if you haven't already chewed an aspirin waiting for the ambulance). They ask for your medical history and current medications. (Tip: Keep a list in your wallet or on the refrigerator to save time.) They also check your pulse, breathing and blood pressure, and perform an EKG to help determine what's wrong. The paramedics then talk with the emergency room doctor to have the cardiac catheterization lab team assembled before you arrive.

20-25 minutes after your call: You’re en route to the hospital via ambulance.

Within 30 minutes* after your call: You arrive at the emergency department. At Lehigh Valley Hospital, specialty physicians are always there, ready to care for you. A nurse makes sure your pulse, blood pressure and breathing are stable, giving you medication if needed.

After Your Arrival

15 minutes after your arrival: You’re transported to the cardiac catheterization lab. After you’re lightly sedated, a cardiologist places a tube into your femoral (groin) artery. Assisted by a nurse and technicians, he threads a catheter through the tube and into your heart and the blood vessels supplying it.

To learn what’s wrong, the cardiologist injects dye through the catheter and locates the blockage by X-ray. He inserts a balloon to open the artery, then places a stent (a tiny mesh cylinder) in the artery to keep it open. If you have multiple blockages, you may need several stents or open-heart surgery.

60-75 minutes after your arrival: You arrive on a heart-care unit to begin your recovery with the aid of specialized medications.

The next day: You take your first steps.

1-2 days later: You return home. Staff from 402-CARE will phone you at six weeks, six months and one year to make sure you’re doing well.

2-8 weeks later: You begin cardiac rehabilitation. This typically includes supervised aerobic exercise three times a week for 12 weeks to rebuild your strength.

Want to Know More about recognizing heart attack symptoms, new CPR guidelines, using a defibrillator or how ambulances are routed? On the Web site you also can take a virtual tour of heart attack care. See right.

Thanks to: Howard Schwartz, paramedic, Bethlehem Emergency Medical Services

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