New interventional cardiology program saves Gettysburg man
When a heart attack occurs, every second counts.
The faster blood flow is restored to the heart, the lower
the risk for disability or death. Thankfully, when Gettysburg resident Stan
Rycyk experienced a heart attack, lifesaving nonsurgical heart care was located
just around the corner at WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital.
This past Thanksgiving, 78-year-old Stan woke in the
middle of the night dizzy, nauseated and sweating profusely. He thought about
lying back down to see whether his symptoms would go away. But after a quick
search on the internet confirming his symptoms, his wife, Margaret, called 911.
Emergency responders diagnosed Stan with a massive heart
attack and began treatment on the way to WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital, located
just a few minutes away from Stan’s home. The hospital’s emergency team was
notified he was coming, had already reviewed his ECG and was standing by
waiting for him. Immediately on arrival, Stan was brought to the hospital’s new
cardiac catheterization lab.
Using advanced imaging guidance and nonsurgical tools,
WellSpan interventional cardiologist Richard Howard, MD, medical director and
interventional cardiologist at WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital, quickly opened
Stan’s blocked cardiac artery and placed a stent to maintain blood flow.
Because of his rapid treatment, Stan sustained only minimal heart damage.
“It was just like nothing ever happened,” Margaret
recalled. “After the procedure, Stan was awake, sitting up, feeling good and
home the next day. We were so impressed with the coordinated care he received.”
The interventional cardiology program was added to
WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital’s cardiovascular program in September 2018. The
staff is meticulously trained in the rapid treatment of heart attack patients
and is prepared for any event. The introduction of the program meant that area
heart attack patients would benefit from minimally invasive lifesaving cardiac
care nearby.
“Having interventional cardiac care close to home can
mean the difference between life and death,” said Dr. Howard. “Stan’s blockage
was located in the artery associated with the highest mortality rate. Time was
of the essence. Without the program, Stan would have been airlifted to another
hospital, wasting precious time.”
Within just one week of his heart attack, Stan was back
to normal life and even back at the gym lifting weights as part of his normal
exercise routine. He later attended cardiac rehabilitation at WellSpan
Gettysburg Hospital to complete his recovery.
“I’m so thankful I got the care I needed so quickly,”
Stan said.
Dr. Howard added: “If you believe there is a chance of a heart attack, don’t do an internet search and don’t drive to the hospital. Call 911 immediately.”
