Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)’s Heart Hospital has achieved remarkable success in treating heart attack patients in record time.
The average time from the arrival of a heart attack patient to the emergency department at the Heart Hospital to opening the blocked artery via catheterisation is just 46 minutes, surpassing the global standard of 90 minutes for this therapeutic procedure.
"The faster we provide treatment after a heart attack, the better the patient's chances of recovery,” said Heart Hospital chief executive and medical director Dr Nidal Asaad. “Conversely, the longer the time between the occurrence of a heart attack and medical intervention, the higher the likelihood of complications, potentially leading to death."
"The Heart Hospital offers rapid access to care for cardiac catheterisation cases and has one of the best recorded times in this field in medical institutions worldwide,” he said.
“The ambulance team sends the ECG (electrocardiogram) data to the Heart Hospital, and once the diagnosis is confirmed, the cardiac catheterisation team is activated, and the catheterisation room is prepared to receive the patient immediately upon arrival,” Dr Asaad added. “In some of the most complex cases, the catheterisation, intensive care, anaesthesia, and cardiac surgery teams are all ready and awaiting the patient before his arrival."
The multidisciplinary teams dedicated to caring for heart attack patients at the HMC provide the safest, most effective, and compassionate healthcare services for these patients.
The team comprises paramedics, cardiologists, practicing physicians, emergency medical service professionals, emergency department team members, radiology professionals, cardiac care ward members, nursing staff specialising in cardiac care, and allied health professionals.
Treatment plans are tailored to each patient's specific needs.
Last year, the Heart Hospital performed approximately 1,100 emergency cardiac catheterisations for critical and urgent cases requiring rapid intervention.
Senior Heart Hospital consultant cardiologist Dr Omar al-Tamimi emphasised that heart attacks are among the leading causes of death in Qatar and cautioned about their symptoms.
“Symptoms of a heart attack typically include a sharp pain and tightness in the chest, pain in the arms and jaw, and sometimes the upper back, accompanied by shortness of breath and dizziness,” he said. “These symptoms can serve as warning signs, with variations depending on the patient's health, gender, age, and type of heart condition.”
The HMC has made significant strides in improving the care provided to heart patients in recent years.
The corporation remains committed to further advancements in this field through public education on the significance of maintaining heart health, raising awareness, and preventing heart attacks by promoting a healthy lifestyle.
The aim is to help individuals identify conditions that make them more vulnerable to heart diseases.