Cardiovascular Chest Pain Center
The Chest Pain Center at Cabell Huntington Hospital is accredited by the American College of Cardiology and among the elite Accredited Facilities in the U.S. that have implemented an ongoing approach to protocol-driven plans of care.
The Chest Pain Center at Cabell Huntington Hospital is accredited by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) (Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care {SCPC}). We are among the elite Accredited Facilities in the U.S. that have implemented an ongoing approach to protocol-driven plans of care. These processes reduce time-to-treatment during the critical first stages of a heart attack, and have been shown to improve outcomes. Cabell Huntington Hospital is dedicated to providing our patients with the best heart care treatment available.
As an Accredited Facility, we use the newest methods and evidence-based best practices in heart care to ensure that our patients receive:
- right care at the right time to minimize or eliminate heart damage due to heart attack (Time is Muscle). We work closely with regional EMS agencies to immediately deliver the heart attack patient to the Cath Lab for timely life-saving angioplasty/stents.
- timely and accurate diagnosis to reduce the disruption in your life and get you back home as soon as possible. Testing and treatment continue after the heart attack in our cardiac care units.
- help and communication to better understand how to respond to your heart emergencies. Our post-heart attack education begins early in your hospital stay with customized instructions on care and new medications.
- improved quality of life after a heart attack/event or episode. Our Cardiac Rehab therapists begin your recovery process and schedule your first outpatient appointment.
The Chest Pain Center at Cabell Huntington Hospital is under the medical direction of Dr. Mehiar El-Hamdani, FACC, FSCAI, and Dr. Beth Toppins, FAAFP.
Patients with heart conditions come to Cabell Huntington Hospital to receive specialized inpatient and outpatient care. Treatment includes all aspects of dealing with heart disease, from the hospital stay through therapy in the hospital's outstanding outpatient rehabilitation programs.
- Cardiac Catheterization Lab
- Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Tobacco Cessation Program: Freedom From Smoking is a tobacco cessation program developed by the American Lung Association. The clinic consists of eight group sessions led by a certified Freedom From Smoking facilitator. The program uses a positive behavior modification approach that teaches you how to become a nonsmoker for good. You will receive guidance in developing your own quitting plan, dealing with recovery symptoms, controlling your weight, managing stress and practicing relaxation techniques. Download brochure.
- Echocardiogram: An echocardiogram is a painless test that uses sound waves to create moving pictures of your heart. The pictures show the size and shape of your heart and how well it is working. These images can identify damage or injury from a previous heart attack as well as possible blood clots inside the heart.
- EKG: An electrocardiogram, also called an EKG or ECG, is a simple, painless test that detects and records the electrical activity of the heart. It is used to detect and locate the source of heart problems.
- Event Monitors: Event monitors are small devices that are used by patients over time (typically one month). Two electrodes on the chest connect two wires to the event recorder. The monitor is always on, but will only store the patient's rhythm when the patient or caregiver pushes the button. Download brochure.
- Holter Monitors: The Holter monitor is a device that records the heart rhythm continuously for 24 hours. Electrodes placed on the chest are connected to wires from the Holter monitor, which the patient carries. The heart rhythm is recorded and then evaluated by a cardiologist.
- Stress Testing: An exercise stress test evaluates the effect of exercise on your heart to see how healthy your heart is. During the test, the electrical activity of the heart is measured while you walk on a treadmill or pedal a stationary bicycle. This measures the heart's reaction to your body's increased demand for oxygen. A “chemical stress test” may be done if the patient is unable to walk on a treadmill.
- Tilt Tables: A tilt table test may be recommended if you experience fainting or lightheadedness. It measures how your heart rate and blood pressure react to changes in position.
- Transesophageal Echo (TEE): A transesophageal echocardiogram uses ultrasound waves to produce images of the heart and to evaluate the function of the heart and its vessels
