Jordan Valley Medical Center

Ready to Respond Effi cient communication between fi rst Did You Know? Anyone can be at risk for having a heart attack, regardless of how healthy he or she may be. If you are experiencing signs of a heart attack, immediately call 911 and take an aspirin. CPR is also a lifesaving tool, and the earlier CPR is started, the better chance the recipient has of survival. During Stacy’s transport to Jordan Valley Medical Center, paramedics used therapeutic hypothermia treatment to slow Stacy’s body’s reaction to the heart attack. This innovative treatment decreases swelling inside the body and reduces the breakdown of organ systems by cooling the body’s temperature through the injection of cold fluids. Stacy’s recovery included a four-day stay at Jordan Valley. Rick and other members of Stacy’s family stayed at the hospital while physicians on the medical staff, nurses and other staff members kept them informed about Stacy’s progress. Once her condition had been stabilized, Stacy was diagnosed with long QT syndrome, which causes sudden arrhythmia and often has no clear cause. Physicians on the medical staff placed an implantable cardioverter defibrillator in Stacy’s heart to restore its normal rhythm should another arrhythmia occur. A POSITIVE OUTLOOK Instead of spending time wondering about the cause of her condition, Stacy has focused on educating others about heart disease and how to help someone experiencing a heart attack. After her recovery, Stacy began working with the South Jordan Fire Department to teach free CPR classes to community members. Her goal was to certify 50 people in CPR, but she quickly surpassed that milestone with more than 70 people certified. She has also been involved with the American Heart Association’s Go Red TM For Women campaign. “Until my experience, I had no idea heart disease affects one in three women in the United States,” Stacy says. “Women should understand their risk factors, and I recommend that everyone learn CPR.” Valley, visit For more information about cardiology services at Jordan and click “Our Services.” WA 4 responders and the medical staff puts Jordan Valley Medical Center ahead of the national average for door-to-balloon time — the time that passes between when a heart attack patient arrives at the hospital and treatment in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab begins. Jordan Valley was one of the fi rst hospitals in the area to develop a system for conducting 12-lead electrocardiography (EKG) in the fi eld for a patient suffering from a heart attack. Using this system, emergency medical services (EMS) paramedics perform an EKG, the results of which are sent immediately to staff at Jordan Valley. Upon confi rming a heart attack, the Emergency Department staff employs a Code STEMI (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction) that alerts cardiac physicians on the medical staff about the patient en route. “If a person is experiencing a heart attack, our goal is to restore blood supply to the heart as soon as possible,” says Bart Johansen, M.D., medical director, Emergency Medicine at Jordan Valley Medical Center. “The more quickly we diagnose the condition and begin treatment in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, the sooner blood circulation is restored. A rapid response by EMS personnel, quick communication between hospital staff and EMS providers, and advanced technology and techniques, such as pre-hospital EKG and therapeutic hypothermia, all account for better outcomes and more heart attack and cardiac arrest survivors.” Are you at risk for heart disease? A HeartView Scan at Jordan Valley Medical Center could help you answer that question. The noninvasive scan takes about 10 minutes and could help physicians detect plaque buildup in your heart. For more information or to schedule a HeartView Scan, call 1-866-431-WELL (9355). Follow us: jor d an v alle y mc . c om

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