Heart Attack Care
A certain heart attack called a STEMI (Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction) occurs when there's a blocked blood vessel. As a result, all of the heart muscle areas being supplied by the blocked artery start to die. Quick treatment for STEMIs is essential. When STEMI patients arrive at our emergency room, our highly trained BJC HealthCare cardiac team will oversee interventional procedures in our state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization lab, which may include the placement of a stent to open blocked arteries.
Heart attacks may occur suddenly and with intensity, but they often start slowly with mild pain or discomfort. Although they are called heart attacks, many symptoms can affect other parts of the body. It’s important to know the common warning signs for a heart attack and talk to your doctor about any symptoms that concern you.
Common warning signs of heart attacks in men:
- Mild chest discomfort
- Neck/jaw or throat discomfort, pressure
- Arm/shoulder discomfort, pressure
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
- Unusual fatigue
- Sweating
- Heartburn
Common warning signs of heart attacks in women:
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea, vomiting
- Mid-chest discomfort or pressure
- Neck/jaw or throat pressure or discomfort
- Abdominal/mid-back discomfort or pressure
- Dizziness
- Sweating
- Left side pain
- Sense of impending doom
- Heartburn
If you think you or your loved one is having a heart attack, call
9-1-1 immediately.
Accredited Chest Pain Center
Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital is the only hospital in St. Charles County accredited as a Chest Pain Center by the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC), a distinction we’ve held since 2010. Hospitals that receive SCPC accreditation have achieved a higher level of expertise in dealing with patients who arrive with symptoms of a heart attack. The accreditation process requires close coordination among local EMS responders, the Barnes-Jewish St. Peters’ emergency room, cardiac catheterization lab, cardiac rehab, pharmacy and other departments throughout the hospital.
As a chest pain accredited hospital, Barnes-Jewish St. Peters has the processes in place to:
- Reduce the time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis and treatment
- Treat patients more quickly
- Monitor patients to ensure they receive proper and timely treatment
Heart Attack Risk Assessment
There are several risk factors that are controllable and may help prevent a heart attack. Blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels can provide insight into your risk of heart disease and heart attacks.
To help guide you, Barnes-Jewish St. Peters and Progress West Hospitals provide heart risk assessments. For a fee of $25, you can learn more about your risk for a heart attack through a screening that includes a blood pressure check, cholesterol (lipid panel) and glucose levels, body composition analysis and Body Mass Index (BMI).