Heart Attack Treatment & Prevention

If you think you or a loved one is experiencing a heart attack, call 911 immediately. Do not attempt to drive to the hospital. Survive, don’t drive.

At Our Lady of the Lake, we know what’s at stake during a heart attack. That’s why we’ve brought together the most advanced emergency heart care technology and a dedicated team ready to respond at a moment’s notice.

You and your family can take comfort knowing your heart is in the right place. Through seamless coordination between our emergency physicians and paramedics at the scene, we’ve dramatically reduced the time to treatment—saving many more lives along the way.

 

Know the Heart Attack Warning Signs

Did you know heart attack symptoms can be different in men and women? Did you know around 85% of heart damage occurs within the first two hours of a heart attack? Acting fast when you first notice symptoms is critical.

Symptoms common to men and women include:

• Chest pain or discomfort, like pressure, squeezing, burning, aching or tightness
• Jaw or shoulder pain
• Sweating and nausea
• Weakness and shortness of breath

Symptoms unique to women include:

• Fatigue, often the first and most unrecognized symptom
• Back pain between the shoulder blades
• Some women mistake a heart attack for anxiety or a panic attack

Symptoms unique to men include:

• Pain in one or both arms
• Back or stomach pain
• Abdominal discomfort that may feel like indigestion

Symptoms for women can vary from those in men and may be harder to recognize, including jaw and back pain, as well as nausea and other flu-like symptoms. And, while more than half of patients experience warning signs, heart attacks can also strike without notice.

The good news? Eighty percent of heart-related events can be prevented when you know and control your risk factors.

 

When Every Second Counts, Count on Our Care

Nationally Recognized Heart Attack Program

In addition to our elite Chest Pain Center Accreditation, Our Lady of the Lake has also earned the American College of Cardiology Foundation’s NCDR ACTION Registry–GWTG Platinum Performance Achievement Award, one of only 164 hospitals in the nation to do so. That means we offer the highest standard of care and better outcomes for heart attack patients. 

Advanced Diagnostic Imaging

Our Lady of the Lake is the only facility in the Baton Rouge-area accredited by the American College of Radiology in Cardiac MRI. This non-invasive, radiation-free technology allows us to quickly assess damage to the heart muscle and determine the best course of treatment. Our ER is also equipped with a revolutionary 640-slice CT, which can capture an image in less than one heartbeat.

Lightning-Fast Treatment Times

Our emergency room averages less than 45 minutes for door-to-balloon time, which is well below the national standard of 90 minutes to provide life-saving heart attack treatment. We also provide coordinated care to people with signs of the most severe heart attack, known as STEMI (ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction). Our ER receives EKG results sent wirelessly from paramedics on the way to the hospital, providing the vital data our physicians need to make a diagnosis. If treatment like angioplasty is needed, our heart care team can prepare immediately in our on-site cardiac catheterization lab.