Baptist Health System nationally recognized for heart attack care

(San Antonio, TX)  ­­– Baptist Health System is proud to announce its hospitals have been nationally recognized by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) for their outstanding expertise and medical resources to treat patients suffering from heart attack symptoms. Baptist hospitals were reaccredited this year as Chest Pain Centers with Primary PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention) designation, which means that each has proven exceptional competency in treating patients with heart attack symptoms and all offer primary PCI available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year. PCI is a non-surgical procedure performed to swiftly and safely relieve narrowing or blockages in the coronary arteries and improve blood supply to the heart muscles to stop or prevent a heart attack from occurring.

According to statistics, coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and can lead to a heart attack. Nearly half of all people in the U.S. (48.6 percent) have some type of cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease, heart failure, high blood pressure and stroke. Baptist Health System medical teams treat patients with these problems and are proud to be nationally recognized.

Designation as Chest Pain Centers with Primary PCI, certifies that Baptist hospitals meet or exceed stringent criteria in treating patients with chest pain based on a rigorous evaluation of the staff’s ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack.

Coronary artery disease occurs when plaque develops within the walls of the coronary arteries until the blood flow to the heart’s muscle is limited. This prevents the heart muscle from receiving enough oxygen, which is called ischemia and can lead to a heart attack.

Research indicates that coronary artery disease begins in childhood and worsens as a person gets older. Children and young adults are increasingly at risk for coronary artery disease because of poor diet, lack of exercise, family history, diabetes, high blood pressure and smoking. Women are at higher risk for heart attack after age 55 and men after age 45. Preventive measures and dedicated treatment and care are vital to reversing this trend.

Baptist Health System provides access to PCI for patients across the city including at Baptist Medical Center, downtown; Mission Trail Baptist Hospital on the south side; Northeast Baptist Hospital off 410 and Starcrest; North Central Baptist Hospital in Stone Oak; St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital in the Medical Center; and Resolute Baptist Hospital in New Braunfels. Each hospital has a team of doctors, nurses, clinicians and ancillary staff committed to efforts that lead to better patient education and improved patient outcomes.

For more information about Baptist Health System’s cardiovascular care, visit https://www.baptisthealthsystem.com/services/cardiovascular.