Flight Nurse to Speak at Free Heart Event at Riverside Medical Center
More than 1 million people have a heart attack each year. Time is essential to getting patients the treatment they need when symptoms are felt; ThedaStar Air Medical is dedicated to getting patients quickly to the care they need.
February is American Heart Month and Riverside Medical Center’s Health and Wellness Department is holding a free program about the signs, symptoms and treatments of heart attack and stroke, as well as how to seek the most optimal emergency treatment.
“Time is heart muscle when it comes to heart attacks,” said Pamela WittHillen, a ThedaStar flight nurse. “Helicopters such as ThedaStar air medical are time instruments, manipulating time in the patients’ favor to getting them to critical interventions at a cardiac center quicker.”
ThedaStar regularly transports patients from remote areas such as Waupaca to the Trauma Center at Theda Clark Medical Center or the cardiac care unit at Appleton Medical Center for rapid, lifesaving treatment.
WittHillen will be speaking at “Flying Patients at the Speed of Life,” a free event at 6:30 p.m. Tues., Feb. 17 at the Maasch Education Center at Riverside Medical Center in the 900 Building in Waupaca. Healthy refreshments will be served. Seating is limited so pre-registration is encouraged for this free program. To register, call ThedaCare Central Scheduling: 920-738-6521 option 1.
WittHillen will share real life case studies with good outcomes. “Minimizing out of hospital time results in better survival rates for our patients,” she said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, cardiovascular disease, which includes heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure, is the No. 1 killer of women and men in the United States. It is a leading cause of disability, preventing Americans from working and enjoying family activities. And it costs the United States over $300 billion each year, including the cost of health care services, medications, and lost productivity.
Symptoms of a heart attack include:
- Discomfort, pressure, heaviness, or pain in the chest, arm, or below the breastbone
- Discomfort radiating to the back, jaw, throat, or arm
- Fullness, indigestion, or choking feeling (may feel like heartburn)
- Sweating, nausea, vomiting, or dizziness
- Extreme weakness, anxiety, or shortness of breath
- Rapid or irregular heartbeats
During a heart attack, symptoms last 30 minutes or longer and are not relieved by rest or nitroglycerin under the tongue.
ThedaCare™ is a community health system consisting of seven hospitals: Appleton Medical Center, Theda Clark Medical Center, ThedaCare Medical Center-New London, Shawano Medical Center, Riverside Medical Center, Berlin Memorial Hospital and Wild Rose Community Memorial Hospital. ThedaCare also includes ThedaCare Physicians, ThedaCare Behavioral Health, and ThedaCare at Home. ThedaCare is the largest employer in Northeast Wisconsin with more than 6,800 employees. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
