South Florida Baptist Hospital Expands Heart and Vascular Center

South Florida Baptist Hospital has expanded its Steve and Krista Howard Heart and Vascular Center to include a second state-of-the-art, 768-square-foot cardiac catheterization lab, allowing the hospital to grow its cardiac services.

While the hospital has been performing cardiac catheterization since 2010 and interventional cardiac procedures since 2011, it can now also treat ST elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) with the launch of its STEMI program.

STEMI is one of the most deadly types of heart attacks, occurring when there is prolonged blockage of the blood supply to the heart. The optimal treatment method is a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to open the artery within 90 minutes of first receiving care from emergency medical personnel. Time translates into muscle loss, so patients suffering a STEMI are taken to the closest hospital that can treat this type of heart attack.

With the STEMI program, South Florida Baptist Hospital will have a specially trained team on hand, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to treat these patients, allowing EMS, physicians and patients more choice in specialized cardiac care. The program also includes a streamlined process for EMS and private vehicle arrival, as well as a state-of-the-art ICU for post-myocardial infarction care.

 The STEMI team has received intensive training in preparation for the program launch at the end of this month.