With heart events, acting fast is critical. To save lives and provide patients
with the best possible outcomes, our cardiac response team is ready to
treat a heart attack victim within 90 minutes of the onset of chest pain.
Based on our equipment, treatment protocols, expertise, patient outcomes
and many other factors, Valley Presbyterian Hospital has been designated
as a STEMI Receiving Center by the Los Angeles County Emergency Medical
Services — the agency dedicated to appropriate and efficient response
to emergencies throughout the county. STEMI stands for ST-Elevation Myocardial
Infarction, which is a serious heart attack caused by lack of blood flow
to large areas of the heart.
As a receiving center, paramedics bring patients experiencing heart attacks
directly to our
Emergency Services unit, where they are rapidly assessed and triaged. Depending on the patient's
diagnosis and condition, he or she may have immediate angiography, angioplasty
or even bypass surgery, if necessary.
Our STEMI designation assures you that we have a highly skilled cardiac
response team ready to treat heart attack patients 24 hours a day, seven
days a week, 365 days a year. Valley Presbyterian Hospital is proud to
be among the only 25% of hospitals nationwide to meet these rigorous standards of care.