Download Lifesaving Team - City of Manassas

City Of Manassas, Virginia
9027 Center Street, Manassas, VA 20110
For Immediate Release
June 14, 2013
NR#057
Contact: Patty Prince
703-257-8456 or 703-895-6535
Lifesaving Team
City of Manassas, VA . . . On June 13, 2013 Fire and Rescue units from the City of
Manassas responded to a call for service at a local urgent care facility. A 44-year-old
male patient came to the facility around 2 p.m. seeking treatment for severe chest
pain and needed to be transported to a hospital emergency room. The urgent care
doctor administered Nitroglycerin to the patient prior to the medics’ arrival.
City medics started an IV and administered additional medications to help stabilize
the patient. They then evaluated the patient's electrocardiogram (EKG) and
recognized a characteristic change that indicates a life-threatening cardiac event
called STEMI. Using the Lifenet System purchased less than two months previously
by Novant Health (previously Prince William Hospital), medics transmitted the EKG
results to Novant alerting them to the patient’s condition.
STEMI is an acronym meaning "ST segment elevation myocardial infarction," which
is the type of heart attack. Myocardial infarctions (heart attacks) occur when a
coronary artery suddenly becomes at least partially blocked by a blood clot. As a
result, virtually all the heart muscle being supplied by the affected artery starts to
die.
Within ten minutes of arriving at the emergency room, the patient was being treated
in Prince William Hospital's Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory for a blocked artery
in his heart. The patient is on his way to a 100% recovery with no significant
damage to his heart.
City of Manassas Medics having been working with hospital staff to better prepare
for situations such as this and to get patients the needed emergent care in the fastest
possible way. This was truly a team effort by all involved.
The City of Manassas Fire and Rescue Department wants to remind residents that if
you are suffering from chest pains, call 9-1-1 immediately. Don’t wait, it could save
your life.
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