Symptoms of panic attacks and heart attacks can be similar— especially in women—and both can be serious conditions.
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“For patients with a normal EKG who require further testing, our Chest Pain Observation Unit provides stress testing and results within 24 hours.”
- Catherine
Loniewski Emergency Medicine Physician
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Heart disease is a leading cause of death in U.S. women, yet many women do not know all the signs of a heart attack. Women and men should seek medical care immediately at the sudden onset of any unusual symptoms. “Extreme fatigue, indigestion, and dizziness are less well known symptoms of a heart attack and more likely to be ignored,” says Catherine Loniewski, DO, Emergency Medicine Physician at Crittenton Hospital Medical Center. “All symptoms, including chest pain and sweating, should prompt a call to 911.”
Fast Response
As soon as an ambulance arrives, Emergency Medical Services personnel will perform an electrocardiogram (EKG) test and transmit the results to the Emergency Department at Crittenton. Upon the patient’s arrival, the awaiting cardiac team will start an IV, connect the patient to a cardiac monitor, and perform a second EKG test to confirm the results from the field. “Patients experiencing a heart attack are treated in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory within 90 minutes of arrival,”Dr. Loniewski says. “For patients with a normal EKG who require further testing, our Chest Pain Observation Unit provides stress testing and results within 24 hours.”
To learn more about cardiovascular services at Crittenton Hospital Medical Center, visit http://www.crittenton.com/Cardiovascular-Services.
