Emergency Care for Heart Attack and Stroke Patients
(DASH, Stroke)
Advanced Care for Heart Attack Patients
Time is critical for anyone experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack. Every minute that passes without treatment increases the amount of damage to your heart, and can mean the difference between full recovery and permanent disability or death.
Studies have clearly demonstrated that the speed and skill with which doctors assess patients in the ER and transfer those who need it to a cardiac cath lab for stents or balloon angioplasty – what’s called “door to balloon time” in the medical arena – is one of the most important factors in reducing deaths and complications from heart attacks.
Choosing an ER with a hospital-based cath lab and open-heart surgery program offers the best protection against potentially life-threatening delays in receiving advanced cardiac care.
Sarasota Memorial’s breakthrough DASH program (Direct Angioplasty Saves Hearts) ensures that heart patients in our community have access to that kind of aggressive, life-saving treatment.At Sarasota Memorial, the hospital’s emergency medicine physicians and cardiologists are available 24/7 and mobilize as soon as paramedics answer a heart-related 911 call. Every minute that follows is a carefully orchestrated sequence of steps that ensure people suffering heart attacks are quickly stabilized and, when appropriate, transferred to the hospital’s cath lab within 60 minutes.
When a heart attack struck, ER doctor Nick Angelastro made a "dash" to Sarasota Memorial. Sometimes speed can save a life.
Dr. Nicholas Angelastro knows something about speed. His rebuilt '94 Supra can do a quarter mile in 11 seconds. He also knows how important speed is in treating a heart attack. So when the ER doctor experienced the unmistakable symptoms one morning at home, he knew he had to get to Sarasota Memorial quickly. That's because he'd been part of the team that developed the hospital's breakthrough DASH program. It had already saved hundreds of other lives - now it was going to save his.
Within 30 minutes of his ambulance arrival, Nick was "dashed" from the ER to the Cath Lab, where a team quickly intervened to restore blood flow to his heart. Precisely the kind of aggressive life saving treatment that's led to the hospital's being named by U.S. News & World Report as the best hospital in Florida and one of the nation's top 50 - for cardiac care.
Now Dr. Nick is back in the emergency room treating patients with everything from runny noses to near fatal heart attacks. And doing it with all deliberate speed.
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Advanced Care for Stroke Patients
Call 911 at the very first signs of a stroke (link to stroke page). Do not attempt to drive yourself or someone else to the hospital. This is a common mistake that often delays treatment.
A call to 911 will alert the hospital, which will then set stroke protocols in motion even before your arrival, saving precious minutes that can make a significant difference in your recovery. Florida law encourages emergency medical providers to transport stroke victims to a primary or comprehensive stroke center - bypassing closer hospitals when necessary - to ensure the highest caliber of care.
The region’s only Comprehensive Stroke Center, Sarasota Memorial has been recognized by the Florida Agency of Healthcare Administration for providing advanced treatments for people facing the greatest challenges in stroke care. Our nationally recognized program also has been certified "with distinction" as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission and given its "Gold Seal of Approval." That seal means we have the specialized knowledge, skills and technology in place to provide people with the best possible stroke care in our community.
Our multidisciplinary stroke team includes:
• Physicians from neurology, neurosurgery, radiology, emergency medicine
• Specially trained clinicians, nurses and rehab specialists
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| Once our stroke team receives the call, imaging services are readied so a CT – which helps doctors determine what kind of stroke you’ve had – can be performed as soon as you arrive at the hospital. Your doctor may also order a MRI to determine the extent of the damage and help predict recovery. |
For a free magnet listing the symptoms of stroke and steps you should take in an emergency, please call Sarasota Memorial's HealthLine at 941-917-7777 or send your request by email:
» Stroke Magnet Request |
After the scans – and other possible tests – an assessment of your condition will be made and, if possible, t-PA will be administered. t-PA is a special clot-busting drug used to treat ischemic strokes (the 80% of strokes caused by a blood clot). In many cases, when administered within 3 hours of the onset of stroke systems, t-PA can prevent brain damage and permanent disability by dissolving the blockage preventing blood flow to the brain.
Sarasota Memorial is proud to offer among the highest rates of t-PA administration in the nation, as well as many more advanced treatments and protocols to help people who miss that all-important 3-hour window for emergency treatment.
You can find more information about our stroke program, visit our stroke center of excellence. |
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