Chest Pain › Services

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Heart attacks are the leading cause of death in the United States, with 600,000 people dying annually of heart disease. More than five million Americans visit hospitals each year with chest pain.   

As frightening as this is, you can take comfort in knowing that Sparks Regional Medical Center is close by—the one and only
accredited Chest Pain Center in the River Valley. That means
our cardiologists, our staff and our facility have met or surpassed the most rigorous standards of excellence to become the only place you want to be when heart attack strikes. And because we’re close to home, treatment can begin at once.  

As an Accredited Chest Pain Center, Sparks Regional Medical Center ensures that patients who arrive at the hospital complaining of chest pain or other symptoms of a heart attack receive the treatment necessary during the critical window of time when the integrity of the heart muscle can be preserved.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

• Shortness of breath (also called dyspnea) 

• Frequent coughing or wheezing

• Swollen feet, ankles and legs (edema)

• Fatigue (tiredness), weakness 

• Nausea or lack of appetite 

• Fast heart rate (Tachycardia) 

• Dizziness, confusion or impaired thinking
 

Have Chest Pain? Call 911!

Because every minute counts when having a heart attack, getting to the Emergency Room as quickly as possible is important. Unfortunately, more than 50 percent of all patients experiencing chest pain walk into the Emergency Department rather than calling 911. The fact remains that every minute counts, and calling 911 starts treatment earlier.

  • - 911 dispatchers are often trained to not only locate you quickly, but also assist you in early treatment options.
  • - In many areas of the country, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) can diagnose a heart attack by using an electrocardiogram (ECG) and also initiate early treatment.
  • - Arriving by ambulance to the Emergency Department helps to ensure that you will not wait to be seen by a physician. Many patients who experience chest pain drive themselves, only to find that they may wait in the Emergency Department lobby until they can see a doctor. Do not let this happen to you.
  • - EMS is able to radio ahead to the Emergency Department that you are on your way. This enables the Emergency staff to be ready for you when you arrive through their doors.