One of the most dangerous types of heart attacks is now more treatable in Plant City.
South Florida Baptist Hospital’s new 768-square-foot lab, located in the Steve and Krista Howard Heart and Vascular Center, was designed to treat patients experiencing ST elevated myocardial infarction, or STEMI, as well as perform other cardiac catheterization procedures.
According to the hospital, STEMI attacks involve a prolonged blockage of blood supply for the heart, and are best treated within 90 minutes of initial medical response — therefore, the patient is going to be transported to the nearest hospital capable of performing STEMI treatment. In these instances, the treatment method will likely be a percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI, which is an attempt to open the artery and restore blood flow before muscle loss can occur.
South Florida Baptist Hospital has performed cardiac catheterization since 2010, and began interventional cardiac procedures in 2011. The hospital’s pre-existing cath lab, which was installed in 2011, can perform many of the same functions as the new lab, but it was designed with interventional radiology procedures in mind.
The new lab, according to the hospital, is a more optimal choice for patients suffering from STEMI attacks and similar heart problems.
The $2.1 million addition to the heart and vascular center includes a machine that shoots 15 X-rays per second from the bottom up, allowing staff to see where blockages would be. It also has a new, automated injection machine that features an air detection system that will not allow an injection to take place if any air is detected in the syringe. The control room, which has devices for patient monitoring and health data recording in both labs, has been updated to accommodate the new lab.
The hospital debuted the new cath lab in a Tuesday, Feb. 28, open house, allowing the public to come and see the lab in its entirety and learn its ins and outs from the STEMI staff on hand.
Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.