Fighting Heart Disease with the Power of 4
Just as every human heart has four chambers that work together to pump life-sustaining blood throughout the body, Hometown Hospital believes there are four keys to effectively managing heart disease.
Assessment
Regular visits with your primary care provider is the most important step you can take in fighting heart disease. Your provider will check and continue to monitor any factors that put you at risk for heart disease, including blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol, body weight and BMI (body mass index). You’ll know where you stand and what steps you may need to take to reduce your risk.
Should your provider recommend additional tests or evaluations or should your or a family member ever experience symptoms of a heart attack or stroke, our hospital team is trained and ready to provide a wide range of assessment expertise and technology.
24/7 ER — Our 24/7 Emergency Department features expert physician specialists, trauma-certified nurses and a full array of advanced technology to evaluate and assess your condition.
TeleStroke — Because time matters when there are signs of a stroke, our onsite medical team uses a video-conference link to evaluate, diagnose and, if necessary, administer lifesaving tpA.
EKG — An EKG (electrocardiogram) uses electrodes to check the heart’s electrical activity, speed, rhythm and possible damage from a heart attack. An EKG is often used to find the cause of unexplained chest pain as well as other symptoms, such as irregular heartbeats (arrythmia), shortness of breath, dizziness or fainting.
Exercise Stress Test — Often used to locate the cause of chest pain, a patient’s heart rate, blood pressure and breathing are constantly monitored while under physical exertion, and an EKG measures the response of the heart to the stress.
Diagnosis
If your primary care provider determines that you have a high risk of heart disease, or if your ER team assesses that you are experiencing a cardiac event, additional testing may be required.
Echocardiogram — A non-invasive ultrasound (sound waves) that produces a video image to check the heart’s structure and blood pumping efficiency, as well as the muscles, valves and chambers of the heart.
Chest X-ray — Creates an image of your heart and chest to check for an enlarged heart or fluid build-up in the lungs.
Holter Monitoring — A Holter monitor is a portable, battery-powered device used to record heart rhythm disturbances such as palpitations or arrhythmia over a 24-hour period or longer as the patient goes about his or her activities. The information collected is then analyzed by a cardiologist to determine the cause of the symptoms.
Cardiac CT Scan — Multiple X-rays are taken to create a 3D cross-sectional view of the heart, allowing a closer look at the structure, blood vessels and anatomy of the heart and identify possible blockages.
Cardiac MRI — Instead of using X-rays, a cardiac MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create a detailed image of the heart.
Coronary Angiogram — Considered the gold standard for the evaluation of coronary artery disease, this process uses a special contrast dye injected into your arteries to create images of the heart in action, allowing cardiologists to check blood flow and look for arterial blockages.
Treatment
From interventional cardiology to medication to surgery, treatment for heart disease can take many forms.
Cardiac Catheterization — This refers to a surgical procedure that can be used to both diagnose and treat heart disease. A small IV tube is placed in a vein or artery of a leg, arm or neck. Then a small hollow tube (catheter) is gently inserted and slowly moved through the blood vessels until it reaches the veins and arteries connected to the heart where it can check the blood flow and pressure in the heart.
Interventional Catheterization — Once a cardiac catheter is in place, it can be used to close an opening in the wall between the upper chambers of the heart or to open up a blocked valve or vessel.
Angioplasty — When coronary arteries become narrow or blocked, an angioplasty can often restore the blood flow. A thin flexible tube with a balloon on its tip is threaded through the coronary artery. Once in place, the balloon is inflated. The pressure from the balloon forces plaque to the side and widens the artery. In many cases, a small wire mesh tube, called a stent, is placed in the artery to help keep it open.
Peripheral Angioplasty — Like cardiac angioplasty, this procedure is used to examine arteries in the legs and other parts of the body to diagnose and treat hardening and narrowing of the arteries.
Electrophysiology — Refers to tests that examine the heart’s electrical activity, which produces the signals (impulses) that control the timing of heartbeats. Depending on the results, possible treatments may include the insertion of a pacemaker to regulate these signals.
Recovery
Recovering from a heart attack or stroke is usually a long process. Ongoing support from an experienced medical staff plays a critical role, and participation in a cardiac or stroke rehab program dramatically decreases the risk of future cardiac problems.
Cardiac Rehab
Cardiac rehab is a structured, supervised exercise and education program for people who have had a heart attack, bypass surgery, angioplasty or other heart-related condition. After a heart attack, people who participate in a cardiac rehab program have a 50 percent greater survival rate after three years compared to those who don’t, and lower their risk of death by 47 percent and their risk of having another heart attack by 31 percent. Unfortunately, only about half of heart attack victims participate fully in a cardiac rehab program.
Our team of cardiologists, nurses, dieticians and physical therapists can help you stop smoking, manage your blood pressure, create a heart-healthy diet, and develop an exercise program customized to your specific needs and goals.
Stroke Rehab
After suffering a stroke, many patients have problems with physical mobility, speech and mental functions. Through rehabilitation, stroke victims can relearn many of the skills they’ve lost, strengthen motor skills, improve mobility and range of motion, and regain their independence and quality of life. Rehabilitation can include the following:
Motor-skill Exercises that improve muscle strength and coordination.
Mobility Training using a walker, cane and other mobility aids that help the patient learn how to walk again.
Forced-use Therapy that restrains the unaffected arm or leg in order to improve the function of the affected limb.
Range of Motion Therapy improves strength and flexibility in the joints and limbs.
Speech and Occupational Therapy helps patients who have memory issues, have trouble speaking and communicating with words or need to improve their social skills and problem-solving abilities.
Sources: Mayo Clinic, American Heart Association, CDC