John Muir Medical Centers Named STEMI Receiving Centers by Contra Costa Health Services Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

John Muir Medical Center's Concord and Walnut Creek campuses officially have been designated STEMI Receiving Centers by Contra Costa Health Services Emergency Medical Services (EMS.) The new heart attack response system serving Contra Costa County residents will be launched September 8.

The STEMI (ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction) System is a nationally-recognized system that allows paramedics to rapidly identify and transport high-risk heart attack patients to specially-equipped hospitals. The goal of the new system is to ensure that heart attack victims suspected of having a STEMI, a high-risk heart attack, receive specialized cardiac procedures as quickly as possible. The best outcomes are achieved when these patients receive treatment within 90 to 120 minutes of the heart attack victim's first sign of symptoms.

John Muir Health Chest Pain Centers

John Muir Medical Center's Concord and Walnut Creek campuses have operated Chest Pain Centers for two years dedicated to providing patients who arrive in the hospitals' Emergency Departments with chest pain a rapid assessment, diagnosis and, when needed, immediate intervention in the cardiac catheterization laboratory to open a blocked coronary artery. This ultimately leads to the best outcomes for patients.

Because prompt treatment is essential, a goal of John Muir's Chest Pain Centers is to have a heart attack patient in the cardiac catheterization laboratory and open a blocked coronary artery within 90 minutes or less from the time the patient enters the hospital's Emergency Department (door to balloon.) Currently, John Muir Health's Chest Pain Centers activate their cath lab teams when notified by EMS that a heart attack patient is in route. This has helped the hospitals to reduce their "door to balloon" times significantly. John Muir Medical Centers' experience as Chest Pain Centers has prepared the hospitals to serve as STEMI Receiving Centers.

• Know the symptoms of a heart attack
  Heart attack symptoms include discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back, pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach, shortness of breath, cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness. Women are more likely than men to experience atypical symptoms that may or may not include chest pain such as overwhelming fatigue and weakness, shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
• Call 911 immediately if you experience the symptoms of a heart attack

(Posted August 26, 2008)