| Patient-Centered
Cardiac Services at Vista Health
• Open Heart Surgery
• Cardiac Catheterization
• Coronary CT Angiography
• Cardiac Calcium Scoring
• Cardiac Diagnostic
Services
• Cardiac Rehabilitation
• Healthy Heart Program
• Commitment to
Wellness
Heart
Disease...it's the leading cause of death
in the United States. But many risk factors
contributing to heart disease can be controlled.
Things like diet, exercise, smoking and stress
are all important factors in the prevention
of heart disease-factors you can do something
about. Indeed, with heart disease, an ounce
of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Pain
Is No Gain
At
the first signs of chest pains or heart discomfort,
the staff at Vista Health encourage you to
call 9-1-1 and get to the hospital immediately.
The independent emergency medicine physicians
on our staff will help determine from examination
(vital signs, blood pressure, lab work, EKG)
and medical history the proper course of treatment.
The sooner the blood flow is resumed, the
less heart muscle damage occurs.
Early
detection prior to an event such as a heart
attack can mean the difference between full
recovery and death. The independent physicians
on our medical staff use sophisticated tests
to detect even minor abnormalities of the
heart. We have performed thousands of cardiovascular
tests and procedures and have access to the
latest and most advanced technology needed
to combat heart disease.
Heart
Attack –
Don’t Ignore the Symptoms
Heart
attacks can be sudden and intense; however,
most heart attacks start slowly with mild
pain and discomfort. Far too often people
with symptoms wait too long before getting
help. Review the following signs that could
indicate a heart attack is happening so you
know when to call for help.
•
Chest discomfort located in the center of
the chest that lasts for a few minutes or
comes and goes. It may feel like uncomfortable
pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
•
Discomfort in other areas of the upper body,
such as one or both arms, the back, neck,
jaw or stomach.
•
Shortness of breath that often comes with
the chest pain but may occur before the chest
pain.
•
Breaking out in a cold sweat.
•
Nausea.
•
Lightheadedness.
Blood
Pressure
High
blood pressure often has no symptoms. You
may have it and not know it. That’s
why Vista Health offers free blood pressure
screenings throughout northern Lake County
each month – to help identify high blood
pressure so those with it can get treated
before too much damage is done.
Normal
blood pressure readings are less than 140
over 90. Numbers equal to or greater than
140 over 90 cause the heart to work harder
and can contribute to stroke.
Have
your blood pressure checked at least once
a year. Print
this convenient sheet to record your blood
pressure readings on. Take the sheet along
to your doctor’s office when you have
your annual exam and discuss your blood pressure
along with other concerns you may have.
Risk
Factors for Heart disease You Can Change
•
Smoking
• Physical inactivity
• High blood cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Overweight
Take
control now and reduce your risk for heart
disease.
Stroke
Most
people think having a stroke is a concern
for the elderly. Think again! Nearly 30 percent
of stroke victims are under 65 years old.
Stroke,
also known as a “brain attack”,
occurs when a blood vessel bringing oxygen
to the brain bursts or is clogged by a clot.
It is a leading cause of serious, long-term
disability for adults. However, new treatments,
many available at Vista Health, can greatly
reduce the damage caused by stroke when symptoms
are recognized early.
Warning
Signs
•
If you or someone you know experiences one
or more of these signs or symptoms, call 911
or your local emergency system immediately:
•
Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm
or leg, especially one side of the body.
•
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
speech.
•
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
•
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness or loss
of balance or coordination.
•
Sudden severe headache with no known cause.
Risk
Factors
Be
aware of your risks and be prepared. Controllable
stroke risk factors include:
•
High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• High blood cholesterol
Open Heart Surgery ^ back to top ^
Beginning December 2007
With the introduction of open heart surgery at Vista Medical Center East, the public has local access to a full service cardiac care facility. Our Open Heart Surgery program focuses on improving quality of life through surgical interventions such as coronary artery bypass grafts, heart valve repairs and replacements, as well as other thoracic and vascular surgeries.
Cardiac
Catheterization ^
back to top ^
Detecting a Heart
Attack Before It Happens
When
symptoms suggest heart disease, the independent
cardiologists on our medical staff rely on
sophisticated technology such as cardiac catheterization
at Vista Medical Center East. Used for diagnostic
and interventional purposes, the catheterization laboratories
feature the latest equipment and technology
for our patients' benefit. Cardiac catheterization
is the most comprehensive diagnostic procedure
available for the early detection of many
life-threatening heart problems. With the latest equipment and technology, interventions such as angioplasty and stent placement are performed to prevent or treat a heart attack. From inception,
our catheterization laboratories have been
directed toward personal service, patient-focused
care and the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.
Coronary CT Angiography ^ back to top ^
Know your risk of heart disease in 5 heartbeats.
Vista Health System's new LightSpeed Volume CT scanner provides a comprehensive view of the heart and coronary arteries with sub-millimeter resolution in just 5 heartbeats. This highly accurate, non-invasive procedure allows physicians to obtain clear images to assist in diagnosis.
Cardiac Calcium Scoring ^ back to top ^
(also known as coronary artery calcium scoring)
The CT scanner can also be sude for coronary artery calcium scoring. This is a non-invasive way to obtain information about the location and extent of calcified plaque in coronary arteries. Plaque, a build-up of fat and substances such as calcium, can narrow the arteries which can lead to painful angina in the chest or a heart attack. The amount of calcium detected in a CT scan (coronary artery calcium scoring) is a marker of coronary artery disease and a helpful diagnostic tool.
Other
Cardiac Care Diagnostic Services offered at
our hospitals include:
Cardiac
Stress Testing
During cardiac stress testing, a
patient's heart rate is monitored while he
or she walks on a treadmill. If unable to
walk, intravenous medications can be used
to increase the heart rate similar to walking
on a treadmill. This test helps the physician
evaluate the fitness of the heart and blood
supply system.
Echocardiograms
This test uses sound waves to record the heart's
internal structure. Physicians often use this
procedure to identify damage to the cardiac
valves and to measure the size and shape of
the heart. Adding color to the echocardiogram
shows the direction of blood flow to help
detect valvular disease.
Electrocardiograms
(EKG)
Electrocardiograms (EKG) provide a record
of heart rhythms. This data is used to help
diagnose abnormal heart rhythm and/or damage
to heart muscle. Vista Medical Center East
has the advanced equipment available
to help provide the physician with information
to make a diagnosis.
Electrophysiology Studies
An electrophysiology (EP) study is a test that records the electrical activity and the electrical pathways of your heart. This test is used to help determine the cause of your heart rhythm disturbance and the best treatment or device for you to treat your heart rhythm. Sometimes an EP study is conducted before an implantable cardioverter/defibrilator (ICD) placement to determine which device is best and afterwards to monitor treatment success
Holter
Monitor Stress Test
A Holter Monitor is a recording unit
worn around the patient's neck or waist. The
monitor is connected to the patient using
wires and patches known as electrodes. This
device then monitors and records a patient's
heartbeat while the patient is either in the
hospital or at home for a 24-hour period.
It allows the patient to have mobility, while
gathering valuable test data.
Cardiac Rehabilitation ^
back to top ^
Nurturing You Back
to Health
The
Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs at Vista Health
help to make people's hearts strong again
and reduce the risk for heart disease. Staffed
by registered nurses, dietitians, respiratory
therapists and exercise physiologists, the
team customizes an exercise program complete
with nutrition guidelines, stress management
techniques and smoking cessation counseling.
The overall goal is to help modify the risk
factors related to heart disease and to develop
a personalized plan to help each patient achieve
his or her maximum potential for heart health.
Patients can participate in Cardiac Rehabilitation
Programs at Vista Medical Center East and,
for phase III (maintenance phase) cardiac
rehabilitation, the Vista Surgery Center in Lindenhurst.
Vista's
Healthy Heart Program
^
back to top ^
The
Vista Surgery Center offers
community members the opportunity to use professionally
staffed rehabilitation exercise facilities
to stay heart healthy and in shape. An exercise physiologist is available to customize
your exercise routine to help you achieve
your maximum benefits. Open Monday through
Saturday, the center offers many of the same
amenities of higher-priced health clubs, plus
the knowledge and expertise of health care
professionals, on a low cost, pay as you go
basis.
Vista's
Commitment to Wellness
Building Healthy
Hearts
^
back to top ^
Vista
Health promotes health and fitness through
analysis and education to members of the community.
Staff is committed to teaching participants
to become aware of ways to adopt a healthier
lifestyle and reduce their chances of developing
heart disease. It may include a comprehensive
health appraisal questionnaire, blood analysis,
body fat composition, a heart/lung screening
and a fitness test. Nutrition counseling,
stress management, preventive health education,
and smoking cessation counseling are also
available. Call 847.360.4131
for information or an appointment.
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