About Holy Cross Hospital
Quality Reports
Heart Attack –
Acute Myocardial Infarction
(AMI) Report Card
A heart attack (also called an acute myocardial infarction)
happens when the arteries leading to the heart become blocked and the
blood supply is slowed or stopped. When the heart muscle can’t get
the oxygen and nutrients it needs, the part of the heart tissue that
is affected may die. Every year, about one million people suffer a
heart attack. It is among the leading causes of hospital admission
for Medicare beneficiaries, age 65 and older. The symptoms of a heart
attack can include:
- chest pain (often described as a crushing, squeezing or burning
pain in the center of the chest and may radiate to your arm or jaw)
- shortness
of breath
- dizziness or faintness
- sweating
- nausea
- cold or
clammy skin
- a gray or very ill appearance
Sometimes there
may be no symptoms, especially if you have diabetes. Women sometimes
have different symptoms, such as a different kind of chest pain and/or
abdominal pain.
More information about heart health:
Key Indicators
Scientific evidence indicates
that the following measures represent the best practices for the treatment
of a heart attack. Higher scores are better.
- Aspirin at arrival
Early
treatment with aspirin significantly reduces mortality from a heart
attack. Chewing an aspirin as soon as symptoms of a heart attack
begin may help reduce the severity of the attack. It is not applicable
to those patients who are allergic to aspirin.
- Aspirin at discharge
The long-term use of aspirin after a heart attack can significantly
reduce the risk of another heart attack or stroke. Aspirin can have
side effects like stomach inflammation, bleeding, or allergic reactions,
so talk to your doctor before using aspirin on a regular basis to
make sure it’s
safe for you.
- ACE inhibitor or ARB for left ventricular systolic
dysfunction
ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors and ARBs
(angiotensin receptor blockers) medications are very beneficial in
those patients with heart failure and decreased function of the left
side of the heart. Early treatment with ACE inhibitors and ARBs in
patients who have heart failure symptoms or decreased heart function
after a heart attack can reduce mortality from future heart attacks.
Due to different functionality of two types of drugs, your doctor
will decide which drug is most appropriate for you.
- Beta Blocker
at discharge
Beta blocker medications are used to lower blood pressure,
treat chest pain (angina) and heart failure, and to help prevent
a heart attack. The use of beta blocker after a heart attack is associated
with a lower risk of long-term morbidity and mortality.
- Fibrinolytic
medication received within 30 minutes of hospital arrival
Fibrinolytic
drugs are medicines that can help dissolve blood clots in blood vessels
and improve blood flow to your heart.
- PCI received within 90 minutes
of hospital arrival
Percutaneous Coronary Interventions (PCI) are
procedures that are among the most effective ways to open blocked
blood vessels and help prevent further heart muscle damage. Improving
blood flow to your heart as quickly as possible lessens the damage
to your heart muscle. It also can increase your chances of surviving
a heart attack.
- Smoking cessation advice/counseling
Smoking increases
the risk for developing blood clots and heart disease that can result
in a heart attack, heart failure or stroke. Patients who receive
even brief smoking-cessation advice from their physicians are more
likely to quit.
Source: U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services Hospital Compare
Additional
Resources
To obtain more quality information regarding Heart Attack,
please visit the websites: The
Joint Commission and the U.S.
Department of Health & Human
Services Hospital Compare.
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