Emergency Angioplasty

Heart attacks occur when a coronary artery supplying blood to the heart is blocked. This lack of oxygen and vital nutrients causes damage to the heart muscle. During a heart attack, timing is everything. Chances of survival are dramatically increased if the blockages are treated within 90 minutes.

Studies show that immediate treatment, such as an emergency angioplasty, lowers mortality rates from an acute heart attack.

Emergency Angioplasty at Greenwich Hospital

Greenwich Hospital, in affiliation with the Yale New Haven Hospital Heart and Vascular Center, is one of the few providers in the region to offer lifesaving emergency angioplasty. Available around the clock, emergency angioplasty is performed in Greenwich’s state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization lab by board-certified interventional cardiologists.

During angioplasty, blood flow to the heart is restored by inserting and inflating a balloon-tipped catheter into a blocked artery. A stent (small wire cage) may be inserted to keep the artery open. By quickly restoring blood flow, damage to the heart is minimized. Research shows primary angioplasty is better than clot busting drugs in limiting permanent heart muscle damage.

Greenwich Hospital’s Emergency Department staff is specially trained to evaluate heart attack patients. They work closely with emergency medical personnel to quickly assess and treat patients.

Ambulance paramedics can digitally transmit crucial cardiac data en route to the hospital, enabling Emergency Department staff to swiftly diagnose and prepare for the patient's arrival.