Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
Bayfront Health Port Charlotte and Bayfront Health Punta Gorda are urging our local community to seek emergency care when needed – without delay. If you experience a medical emergency such as chest pain that may be a heart attack or stroke symptoms, a timely response will support the best possible outcome.
Both hospitals have implemented precautions to protect patients and staff, including screening all patients for symptoms and risk factors, and placing any individuals with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 in a separate area. Cleaning and disinfection are emphasized in caregiving areas and throughout the facility. To learn more about how Bayfront Health is taking extraordinary measures to provide COVID-safe care for the protection of patients, visit www.bayfrontcharlotte.com/covid-19.
Heart attack and stroke are always urgent and don’t stop for COVID-19.
Heart Attacks
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 805,000 Americans have a heart attack each year, with about 605,000 being a first heart attack, and 200,000 a recurrent heart attack. And, about 1 in 5 heart attacks is silent—the damage is done, but the person is not aware of it.
Heart attacks are not always sudden and intense. Many heart attacks start slowly with only mild pain or discomfort. Some people do not experience chest pain but instead have other signs.
While many symptoms of a heart attack are the same, men may experience different warning signs than women. Men may experience symptoms such as:
. Shortness of breath
. Weakness/Unusual fatigue
. Cold sweat
. Dizziness
For many women, a heart attack may feel like a strange discomfort in the back, or another sign that is easy to ignore, instead of crushing chest pain. They may feel pressure, squeezing or shortness of breath. Symptoms may even pop up elsewhere in the body, such as the jaw.
Man or woman, when you’re having a heart attack, every second counts, and calling 911 starts treatment earlier. Emergency workers know what to do to protect and care for you. To learn more about signs and symptoms, and to take a heart health assessment, visit www.bayfrontcharlotte.com/heart-attack-warning-signs.
Bayfront Health Port Charlotte and Bayfront Health Punta Gorda are the only facilities in Charlotte County to have achieved accreditation as a Chest Pain Center and Chest Pain Center with Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) by the American College of Cardiology (ACC). Both are also accredited by The Joint Commission (TJC) as Primary Stroke Centers, and in May of 2019, the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) designated Bayfront Health Port Charlotte a Comprehensive Stroke Center.
Stroke
According to the CDC, approximately 795,000 people suffer a stroke each year, with about 600,000 of these being first attacks, and 185,000 recurrent attacks.
Prevention begins with knowing stroke’s risk factors. Men and women share several — diabetes, excess weight, family history of the condition, inactivity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking — but women must be mindful of factors distinct to them, including:
• History of migraines
• Hormone replacement during menopause
• Oral contraceptive use, particularly with high
blood pressure
• Physiological changes that may take place during pregnancy, such as preeclampsia (high blood pressure)
“F.A.S.T.” is a great way to remember the key symptoms of stroke and quickly determine whether one is occurring. The acronym encourages scrutiny of a person’s Face, Arms and Speech for any signs that are out of the ordinary, and it reminds that Time is of the essence in stroke diagnosis and treatment.
If you notice any of these signs, call 911, and then note the time. Medical personnel will ask when you first noticed symptoms to determine the best treatment. To learn more about stroke warning signs and symptoms, visit www.bayfrontcharlotte.com/stroke-care.
About Bayfront Health Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda
Bayfront Health Port Charlotte (opened 1962) and Punta Gorda (opened 1947) are both accredited hospitals by The Joint Commission and part of a regional network of seven hospitals along the I-75 corridor. The Port Charlotte campus consists of a 254-bed full-service facility offering comprehensive services in emergency care, comprehensive stroke center, and orthopedics. The Bayfront Baby Place is the only licensed obstetric and pediatric unit and Level II neonatal intensive care unit in Charlotte County, as well as the only facility in SWFL—and 1 of 4 in the state—to receive The Joint Commission Perinatal Care Certification. The Southwest Florida Heart Center offers all-private rooms and is an accredited chest pain center with PCI providing comprehensive cardiac services for more than 30 years. And the robotics program is the largest and longest running in the County offering surgical options for gynecology, general surgery, colorectal, urology and bariatric weight loss surgery, as well as total knee, total hip and partial knee replacement which is an exclusive in the area. The Punta Gorda campus offers all-private patient rooms, and consists of a 208-bed facility offering an accredited primary stroke center, The Joint Commission Certified Joint and Spine Center, an accredited chest pain center, and emergency care services. Additional on-campus services include outpatient and adult inpatient psychiatric care at Riverside Behavioral Center, an accredited Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine facility, and Wellness and Rehabilitation Center. To learn more, visit www.BayfrontCharlotte.com. Trust has a name – Bayfront Health.
