Here, you will learn the basics of the human heart, have the opportunity to view photographs from the experience of a heart patient, become better acquainted with Salina Regional's Heart Center and learn the answers to the following questions:
- What are the functions of the human heart?
- What are my treatment options?
- What is the experience of a heart surgery like?
- How do I get ahead of the beat after treatment?
- What is thrombolytic medicine?
- What medical terms do I need to know?
- How can I learn more?
Weighing about one pound and averaging the size of a human fist, the heart circulates blood and oxygen throughout the body. The right side of the heart receives blood from the body's supply and pumps it to the lungs where it picks up oxygen. At the same time, the left side receives oxygen-rich blood and pumps it through the aorta to the rest of the body. The heart's blood supply stems from the numerous coronary arteries.
If you are preparing for heart surgery or know someone who is, you are ahead of the beat by knowing the terms angina, atherosclerosis and heart attack - all heart diseases that require medical treatment. Treatment for all the conditions and more is available at Salina Regional Health Center.
Conditions
Angina - a temporary lack of oxygen-rich blood to the heart
Atherosclerosis - blocking of the coronary arteries over time
Thrombus - blood clot in the heart vessels
Testing Methods
Electrocardiogram - records electrical signals passing through heart
Echocardiogram - moving pictures taken with sound waves
Exercise Stress Test - physical activity monitored to examine how hard the heart works
Cardiac Catheterization - a catheter inserted into the heart arteries that carries a dye that shows up on an X-ray
Treatments
Angioplasty - pushes fatty plaque in the vessels against the walls so that more blood can flow through them
Stent - a stainless steel tube placed in the blocked portion of the artery part of the body is attached above and below each blocked area
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft - a healthy vein from another part of the body is attached above and below each blocked area
Heart Valve Surgery - opens the valves so they can open and close more easily as the heart pumps
Imagine knowing that you are having a heart attack but there is nothing that can be done to stop it. Now imagine an IV drug that could stop your heart attack before the effects are irreversible. Thrombolytic medicine, an IV administered drug, has shown positive results in high numbers and it is available at Salina Regional Health Center to save even more lives.
In a Heart Attack:
During a heart attack, a blood clot (thrombus) blocks a vessel and cuts off the circulation of blood and oxygen to part of the heart, causing the heart to work harder to produce that needed oxygen.
What a Thrombolytic Medicine Does:
Thrombolytic medications dissolve the thrombus clot and opens the vessel, allowing blood flow and oxygen to return to the heart, decreasing the amount of work the heart has to do.
Who Might Need Thrombolytic Medicine:
Anyone with chest pain should come to the emergency room or call 911 immediately, especially if the pain is radiating to the arms or jaw and is accompanied by shortness of breath. Ambulance crews can begin an IV, perform an EKG and provide oxygen on the way to the hospital. The emergency department staff evaluates all patients with chest pain to see if there is a cardiac problem and assess whether to give thrombolytic medicaiton.
Precious Time:
Time is of the essence with thrombolytic medications. In the event of a heart attack, the sooner the medication is administered, the less damage is done to the heart. Salina Regional closely monitors the time from arrival in the ER to administration of the medication. The national average time from door to drug is between 30 to 35 minutes, depending on the size of the hospital. Salina Regional's door to drug time is 29 minutes.
There are several treatment options for the above conditions: angioplasty, stent, coronary artery bypass grafts or heart valve surgery - all little terms with big results. Physicians use diagnostic testing to determine the severity of the problem and prescribe proper treatment. Some of these tests include chest X-ray, echocardiogram, electrocardiogram (ekg), exercise stress tests, transesophegeal echocardiogram (tee) and cardiac catheterization.
If your doctor determines that a surgical procedure is necessary, the cardiac team at Salina Regional is here to lend a helping hand every step of the way without skipping a beat. In the following section, you will walk through an open-heart surgery procedure from check in to homecoming in order for you to get a better idea of what the experience is like.
In coronary artery bypass surgery, a healthy vein from your leg or an artery from your chest will be attached above and below each blocked area in the coronary artery. This will increase blood flow and oxygen to the heart muscle.
Bypass surgery usually lasts 4 to 7 hours, although repeat bypass surgery takes longer. In addition to general anesthesia, a heart-lung machine is used to support heart and lung function during surgery. To get to the heart, the surgeon makes an incision down the center of the chest and the middle of the breastbone. After surgery, the breastbone is held together by stainless steel wire.
After the surgery, you will go to the cardiovascular intensive care unit. Total hospital stay is one to seven days. Once you receive the all-clear from your doctor, you will go home for four to six weeks of rest and recuperation. During this time, routine responsibilities can overwhelm the recovery process. Stabilizing emotional health is also key to maintaining a strong heart and recovering from surgery.
Salina Regional's Heart Center offers a variety of support services to assist patients throughout their procedures and recovery. Support personnel include social workers and chaplains.
To fully recover, patients undergo a period of cardiac rehabilitation. Here, a team of nurses, therapists and dietitians take a team approach to helping patients learn new, healthier habits.
Patients having heart surgery may find some comfort from their cardiac mentor. The cardiac mentors are patients who have completed the cardiac rehabilitation program at Salina Regional. They make good listeners for patients who are feeling anxious about an upcoming cardiac procedure. The mentors attend a formal Salina Regional volunteer training and also meet once per month to network and share experiences.
If you are interested in learning more about The Heart Center at Salina Regional Health Center, please call (785) 452-7808.