What is a Heart Attack?
An acute myocardial infarction (AMI), also called a heart attack, happens when one of the heart’s arteries becomes blocked and the supply of blood and oxygen to part of the heart muscle is slowed or stopped. When the heart muscle doesn’t get the oxygen and nutrients it needs, the affected heart tissue may die.
Why is this important?
The heart is a muscle that gets oxygen through blood vessels. Sometimes blood clots can block these blood vessels, and the heart can’t get enough oxygen. This can cause a heart attack. Chewing an aspirin as soon as symptoms of a heart attack begin may help reduce the severity of the attack. Aspirin can have side effects like stomach inflammation, bleeding, or allergic reactions. Talk to your health care provider before using aspirin on a regular basis to make sure it’s safe for you.
How are we doing at providing the best care for patients suffering from heart attack?
These measures show how often eligible heart attack patients are given or take aspirin within 24 hours of arriving at Hartford Hospital.
This graph shows the number of eligible heart attack patients who were given or took aspirin within 24 hours of arriving at Hartford Hospital. The higher the percentage the better.
What efforts are in place to improve performance?
We have a goal to meet the top performance that is a national best practice. With this we are achieving a performance that meets that goal. In every case where we miss the opportunity to meet the standard the cases is reviewed in detail and a addressed by the specialty team.