|
Heart Procedure
 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 answer to
the following questions:
The Functions
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 these conditions and more is available at Salina Regional
Health Center.
back to top
Medical Terms
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
back to top
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 to keep it from narrowing again
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
back to top
Thrombolytic Medicine
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 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
medication.
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 and 35 minutes, depending on
the size of the hospital. Salina Regional's door to drug time is 29
minutes.
back to top
Treatment Options
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 sev erity
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.
back to top
The Experience
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.
back to top
Ahead of the Beat
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.
back to top
For more information
If you are interested in learning more about The Heart Center at Salina
Regional Health Center, please call (785) 452-7808.
|
