An area health system cut the ribbon, Tuesday, on a project that’s bringing life-saving technology to people with heart problems.
The first catheterization lab at J.C. Memorial Hospital in Huntingdon opened for business today. Now, patients with chest pain, shortness of breath, and other heart attack symptoms won’t have to be rushed to a larger hospital, but will be diagnosed and often treated right at J.C. Blair. There, cardiologists will be able to look for clogged arteries, and open them with a stent or balloon.
Cardiac technician Christopher Suomela says, “I believe this is an amazing thing for this hospital and we’ll be able to do a lot of good. When heart tissue is all about door to balloon time and the quicker you get that artery open, the less damage a patients could have to their heart.”
The cath lab will also offer diagnostic and treatment procedures for artery disease in the legs.