Fully staffed by board-certified emergency medicine physicians, The Emergency Center is equipped to address chest pain, heart attacks, and other heart problems quickly.

When it comes to heart emergencies, fast treatment can literally mean the difference between life and death. But heart attack symptoms aren’t always obvious, and long wait times in a hospital emergency room (ER) for vague symptoms, such as nausea or abdominal pain, could cost you valuable time.

Heart Attack Warning Signs

Many people believe that a heart attack is occurring only when someone clutches his or her chest in extreme pain. The reality, however, is that many heart attacks begin slowly with only mild discomfort, according to the American Heart Association. The following symptoms could indicate a heart condition that requires immediate care:

• cold sweat
• discomfort, tightness, or a feeling of fullness in the chest
• dizziness
• heaviness and intense pain that travels to the arms, back, jaw, neck, and shoulders
• shortness of breath
• nausea and vomiting

In addition, chest pain always warrants emergency medical attention, particularly if it is accompanied by a tearing sensation in the back or lasts for more than a few minutes and gets worse when you engage in any type of physical activity.

No-Wait Emergency Care

As soon as a heart attack begins, injury to the heart muscle begins, so seeking help at the first sign of a potential problem could save your life or that of your loved one.

The Emergency Center’s 24-hour ER in San Antonio offers virtually no wait compared with hospital-based ERs, while offering the same advanced diagnostic technologies that you would find at a full-service hospital.

All three centers feature board-certified emergency medicine physicians and intensive care unit- and ER-trained nurses, who can examine coronary arteries using a high-resolution, 64-slice computed tomography scanner.

If signs of an impending heart attack are detected, we can quickly take action to stabilize you and, if needed, coordinate rapid transport to the nearest hospital.

Read more about our emergency services.

Sources:

1. http://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/warning-signs-of-a-heart-attack

2. https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/signs_symptoms.htm

3. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007344.htm

The Emergency Center

San Antonio
11320 Alamo Ranch Pkwy
San Antonio, TX 78253
Phone: 210-485-3644