A Breath of Relief for Respiratory Therapist
For David Diaz, 43, of Olmsted Township, the evening of Sept. 23 was initially like any other. But, things soon changed. After going to bed at his usual time, he was awakened in the middle of the night by a tingling sensation in his arm. Thinking that he must have slept on it wrong, he tried to shake it off. But, it got progressively worse and was followed by sweating and chest pain.
A respiratory therapist with significant medical training, David knew he needed to get to the closest emergency department. So, he drove the eight miles to UH St. John Medical Center in Westlake. University Hospitals recommends that someone who is experiencing symptoms of a heart attack, as David did, call 9-1-1 rather than drive themselves to the ER.
A Heart Attack in the ER
“Based on my symptoms, I was given an EKG. Then, the attending physician declared a STEMI (heart attack) and the catheterization lab team was called," he shared. While in the ER, David’s heart went into ventricular fibrillation (v-fib) twice, requiring physicians to use a defibrillator to shock his heart back into rhythm.
John Coletta, MD, an interventional cardiologist at UH St. John Medical Center, quickly went to work, performing a cardiac catheterization on David via his right wrist. This radial approach (versus the femoral approach through the groin) often enables patients to heal more quickly.
“David’s right coronary artery was 99 percent blocked,” said Dr. Coletta. “Additionally, his left circumflex artery was blocked in two spots, at 75 and 85 percent. With the heart, time is muscle. We needed to place stents quickly to restore blood flow.” David was under twilight sedation during the procedure, and talked with Dr. Coletta as the stents were placed.
A Life-Changing Experience
Within 24 hours of his arrival at the UH St. John emergency department, David was feeling well enough to be discharged home. But, he knew he needed to make significant changes to his lifestyle to help prevent another heart-related event in the future. “I had a 43-year love affair with cheeseburgers,” David recalls. “But, I want to live for many more years, so I have committed to doing the things I need to do in order to make that happen.”
The staff at UH St. John Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation are helping David on his wellness journey. Just three-quarters of the way through his 36 sessions, David had already lost 45 pounds and his A1C (an indication of blood sugar) went from 13.8 to 7. “I’m eating healthier and exercising, and it’s working,” said David. “My goal weight is 190 and my goal A1C is 6.5.”
The Difference Between Life and Death: Call 9-1-1
Dr. Coletta recommends that someone who is experiencing symptoms of a heart attack, as David did, call 9-1-1 rather than drive themselves to the ER. “While David’s case was successful, if he had experienced v-fib as he was driving to the ER, he could have seriously hurt himself or others. Studies show that being transported via ambulance can shave 10-20 minutes off the time from the presentation at the ER to the stent(s) being placed. Those 10-20 minutes could mean the difference between life and death.”
David is on the right path to a healthy lifestyle, and is enjoying his two children, his fiancé and his work. “I thank Dr. Coletta and the entire cardiac team at UH St. John every day. They not only saved my life, but they provided the knowledge and support I needed to make a healthy, new start.”
Trusted Leader in Care
The UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute at UH St. John Medical Center provides care for patients in cardiovascular medicine, electrophysiology, interventional cardiology, heart failure and vascular surgery. Thanks to a recent $1 million upgrade, the Institute has access to the latest technology in the cardiac catheterization lab with state-of-the-art equipment. “The technology integrates cardiovascular and interventional radiology services with high-definition imagery,” explained Dr. Coletta. “Having it on-site means patients like David, who arrived through the emergency room, will not have to travel to another facility for immediate care.”
Support the UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute at UH St. John Medical Center with a gift today.