Chest Pain Awareness
Having Chest Pain & Symptoms? Call 9-1-1 immediately!
Heart attacks have beginnings. These beginnings occur in more than 50% of patients. Most importantly, if recognized in time, these “beginnings” can be treated before the heart is damaged!
Alarming Statistics
- Heart disease causes approximately 1 of 4 deaths in the United States.
- About 50% of sudden cardiac deaths occur outside a hospital. This suggests that many people don’t act on early warning signs.
- Survey results show that only 27% of the respondents were aware of all major symptoms and knew to call 9-1-1.
By sharing Early Heart Attack Education (EHAC), we can change these sobering statistics!
Georgetown Community Hospital received Chest Pain Center accreditation from the American College of Cardiology. We are dedicated to providing our patients with the best heart care treatment available. As an accredited facility, we use the newest methods and best practices in heart care to ensure that our patients receive:
- Right care at the right time to minimize or eliminate heart damage due to heart attack
- Timely and accurate diagnoses to reduce the disruption to your life and get you back home as soon as possible
- Help and communication to better understand how to respond to your heart emergencies
- Improved quality of life after a heart episode
Visit these links to learn more about EHAC and Hands-Only CPR:
Early Signs
Early signs and symptoms that can begin hours or days before a heart attack. You may or may not experience any or all of these symptoms. You may experience mild chest symptoms, such as pressure, burning, aching or tightness. These symptoms may come and go until finally becoming constant and severe.
- Nausea
- Pain that travels down one or both arms
- Jaw pain
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
- Chest pressure, squeezing or discomfort
- Back pain
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling of fullness
- Sleep disturbances including bouts of insomnia or trouble either getting to sleep or staying asleep
- Indigestion
If you one or more of these symptoms, you owe it to yourself to get these symptoms checked out immediately at Georgetown Community Hospital's Emergency Department.
Remember: Call 9-1-1 if you believe you are experiencing a medical emergency.
Calling 9-1-1 is almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment. EMS staff are trained to revive someone whose heart has stopped. It is best to call EMS for rapid transport to the emergency room.