Heart Health Experts in an Emergency

UVA Chest Pain Center

Through the doors of the typical hospital emergency room come a variety of patients with a myriad of health concerns, injuries and conditions. About 6 to 12 percent of these patients present with chest pain or other symptoms of possible cardiac disease, says David R. Burt, MD, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Director of the University of Virginia Chest Pain Center. These patients need careful attention and close evaluation that can sometimes take several hours. For this reason, Dr. Burt explains, UVA created the Chest Pain Center in the 1990s. He took the time to answer important questions about this center—information you’ll want to know in case you or a loved one ever faces a heart emergency.

What is the Chest Pain Center?

We are a section within UVA’s Emergency Department that is dedicated to caring for patients who have symptoms of heart disease. This could be chest pain, heartburn, dizziness, weakness, etc. We’re also here for those suffering from a sudden cardiac event such as a heart attack. The center has five beds especially devoted to quickly evaluating and treating these patients.

How does this center benefit potential heart patients?

Our dedicated caregivers have ready access to the tools they need so things run as efficiently as possible. When the underlying system runs well, then staff can spend more time on individual patient care, history taking and other factors that combine to create great care for the individual.

Taking care of cardiac patients does take time, sometimes many hours. We must do repeat blood tests, make frequent evaluations, do repeat ECGs (electrocardiograms) and carefully monitor for changes in symptoms. This process takes much longer than, for example, getting treatment for a broken bone.

Are ER staff members trained specifically to work with patients in the Chest Pain Center?

Each provider is expertly trained in cardiac care, no matter where they work within the UVA Emergency Department. Every staff member here completes what is known as an Emergency Cardiovascular Care Module. All nurses, patient care technicians and even some volunteers must take part in this training. They must also meet a set of quality standards such as advanced life support and specific training for managing acute emergency heart attack.

If the Chest Pain Center beds are full, then we are well equipped to take care of cardiac patients in other areas of the Emergency Department. People sometimes focus on location, but good care also depends on non-physical elements such as motivated, well-trained providers. That’s what we do extremely well.

If someone suspects they are having a cardiac event, how can they ensure they get the best emergency care?

If you or a loved one experiences chest pain or pressure, then you should call an ambulance right away. When EMS personnel come to the patient, they can do an ECG on-site to see if it is an emergency heart attack. And, if that’s the case, they can stabilize the patient, communicate with us at the hospital and activate heart attack treatment—all before the patient arrives at the hospital.

During a heart attack, time equals muscle. The quicker the patient can be treated, the better likelihood he or she will recover because less of the heart muscle will be affected.

If you come to the Emergency Department directly with possible cardiac symptoms, you should be as clear as possible explaining the symptoms you are experiencing and communicate to the staff what you’re feeling and if you’ve had past heart conditions. Our front-line Emergency Department staff is very good at evaluating patients, but the more information you can provide the better.

Most importantly, if you make an effort to work with a physician to prevent heart disease – stop smoking, watch your cholesterol, manage your blood pressure, exercise and watch your diet – then hopefully we won’t see you in the Emergency Department.