Issue link: https://blog.providence.org/i/1427825
10 | Health Matters: Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center If a patient is having a stroke or heart attack or is in the middle of cardiac arrest like Steve Twersky was, the ER staff has a precise and highly cohesive protocol for diagnosis and treatment. "We have a saying: Time is myocardium," says Dr. Snyder, meaning the longer a heart patient has to wait for treatment, the more danger there is of long-lasting damage to the heart. "We pride ourselves on our efficiency," he says, adding that he's also proud of the fact that his ER is open 24/7. Steve benefited from the ER's efficiency and highly skilled nurses and doctors. Soon after his arrival, says Karen, "they did find a tiny artery at the base of his heart that was 100% blocked and they believed had been for a significant amount of time. The cardiologist told me other arteries had formed around it to compensate for it." Doctors put in a stent to open that artery, which was a very difficult procedure because it was so small, but they concluded that his heart had probably stopped due to an interruption of its electrical activity. As a precaution against another cardiac incident, an internal defibrillator was put into his chest. While Steve was unconscious, the nurses arranged for Karen to be on FaceTime with the nurse's iPad so she could to see Steve and talk to him in the hope that he could hear her voice. Karen appreciates the dedication of the doctors, nurses and hospitalists who stayed by Steve's side and kept her informed the entire time he was hospitalized. How is he doing today? "I feel good," Steve says. "I owe my life to a lot of people, not the least of whom is Karen," he says. He has since learned that many doctors and nurses he never got to meet participated in his care at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana. "The hospital was great," he says. His connection to the hospital is ongoing. "I want to add a big shout-out to the professionals at Tarzana Cardiac Rehab who helped me through the recovery process." HEART ATTACK, STROKE, CARDIAC ARREST: RECOGNIZING THE SYMPTOMS Each of these conditions is an emergency requiring a 911 call for help. Here are signs to look for, according to the American Heart Association. Heart attack Symptoms can include shortness of breath, and pain or discomfort in the stomach, one or both arms, the back, the neck or the jaw. There may also be discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts a few minutes or more, or comes and goes. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain. Stroke Sometimes a family member, friend or colleague will recognize symptoms of stroke in a person before he or she realizes what is happening. Symptoms include a droopiness on one side of the face, weakness in one arm and difficulty speaking. Cardiac arrest The symptoms are sudden loss of responsiveness, and the person will stop breathing or gasp for air. Compression CPR should be started immediately on someone in cardiac arrest. To learn more about our emergency services, visit Providence.org/Tarzana.