Heart Attack Symptoms & Treatment
If you, a friend or family member develops symptoms of a heart attack, call 911 immediately. Never attempt to drive to the hospital.
Seconds count when you or a loved one develop signs of a heart attack, which is why our advanced Chest Pain Center is located within Riverside’s Emergency Department. Having a comprehensive team of emergency doctors and nationally renowned cardiac specialists at the ready reduces the time it takes to deliver therapies that can stop a heart attack in its tracks, saving more heart muscle and lives.
Riverside’s Chest Pain Center is fully accredited and employs the latest medical technology, allowing us to offer the most rapid diagnosis and treatment of cardiac events in the area.
Know the Warning Signs of a Heart Attack
Recognizing the signs of a heart attack can ensure the fastest treatment, which can save lives and prevent disability. Keep in mind that a person having a heart attack may experience some of these warning signs, but not others:
- A feeling of pain, pressure or tightness in your chest that persists or comes and goes
- Discomfort or pain in one or both arms, the jaw, neck or back
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea or vomiting
- Unexplained perspiration
- Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
It’s also important to remember that the early signs of a heart attack often differ in men and women, with the latter more likely to experience shortness of breath, nausea (with or without vomiting), and back or jaw pain. For women who want more information about recognizing and preventing heart attacks, ask your doctor about Riverside Medical Center’s women's heart awareness and education program.
Heart-Saving Treatment
Our Chest Pain Center has received advanced accreditation by the Society of Chest Pain Centers known as Full Cycle II with PCI. That means our team meets and exceeds the qualifications to perform percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) – the gold standard for heart attacks. In this minimally invasive procedure, a doctor inserts a catheter into a blood vessel (usually in the groin or arm) and threads it to the site of a blockage in that’s causing the heart attack. Inflating a small balloon at the tip of the catheter pushes aside the build-up of material called plaque that has blocked the artery, restoring normal blood flow to the heart. Often, a small mesh tube, or stent, will also be inserted to keep the artery open.
Care by a Comprehensive Team of Experts
At Riverside, we offer fully integrated heart attack care with emergency medical transport and emergency department physicians who work in coordination with one of the nation’s leading heart programs. This comprehensive approach allows us to rapidly assess, diagnose and treat heart attacks and other serious cardiac problems that arise suddenly. Riverside Medical Center also offers outreach and educational programs to help reduce the risk of heart attacks in our community.
Supporting Recovery After a Heart Attack
Following a following a heart attack, stent placement or heart surgery, the Riverside Heart & Vascular Institute offers comprehensive cardiopulmonary rehabilitation. Our specialists will work with you to create a personalized program, combining both exercise and education to help you get back faster to good health.
Meet Our Team
Riverside's nationally recognized physicians specialize in the prevention, detection
