Emergency Heart Attack Treatment in Central California
A heart attack — or acute myocardial infarction — can have a lasting and damaging effect on your quality of life. During a heart attack, some of your heart muscle dies. That is why the focus of treatment and prevention is to preserve your heart function and avoid another episode in the future.
If you suspect a heart attack, call 911 or seek immediate medical help. Doctors and heart specialists at Dignity Health Central California can provide fast emergency care. Rely on us for personalized heart attack treatment in Central California.
Treating Heart Attacks at Dignity Health Central California
Timely treatment of heart attacks can be lifesaving. If you experience symptoms of a heart attack, do not wait to see if they go away on their own — get help right away.
You may receive these emergency treatments:
- Intravenous pain medication — to ease chest pain and anxiety
- Oxygen — to relieve shortness of breath
- Nitroglycerine — to relax blood vessels and ease the load on your heart
- Aspirin — to prevent blood clots
After the initial treatment, you may surgical intervention such as:
- Stent placement — to hold arteries open and improve blood flow to the heart
- Coronary angioplasty — to clear blockages in the arteries supplying the heart
- Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery — to create a new pathway around blocked arteries (also called “heart bypass surgery”)
Your Dignity Health Central California doctor may also recommend follow-up treatment. This may include lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise, a heart-healthy diet, and quitting smoking. You may also need medications to control heart conditions like high blood pressure (hypertension).
Ask your doctor about cardiac rehabilitation, a medical program that helps patients manage their heart disease.
Your Treatment Options
Prompt treatment of heart attacks is essential to avoid complications like permanent heart damage or death. For this reason, you may find yourself having to make quick decisions about your care.
As you recover from surgery, you will have time to consider your follow-up treatments. Your doctor’s recommendations are based on the severity of your heart disease, the extent of damage to your heart, your overall health, and personal preferences.
How to Prevent Heart Attacks
Follow these tips to lower your risk for heart attack:
- Properly manage existing heart conditions, such as hypertension and high cholesterol.
- Control your blood sugar levels in you have type 2 diabetes.
- Quit or don’t start smoking.
- Adopt a diet that’s low in salt and rich in fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats.
- Exercise regularly.
- Maintain recommended body weight.
- Learn effective ways of coping with stress.
Find a Doctor that can provide the help you need for your heart concerns. Learn more about cardiology services at our Dignity Health Central California locations:
Dignity Health Central California is here for you 24 hours a day when you need urgent heart attack treatment in Bakersfield, Merced, San Andreas, and Stockton, CA.