Among the services included in the The Heart & Vascular Center community outreach program is our early heart attack care training (EHAC).  EHAC is the public awareness educational outreach portion of Baptist Hospital's Chest Pain Center.  The training is provided free of charge to community, civic, employee and church groups - any gathering of people interested in understanding the nature of the presentation of heart attacks.

The EHAC training session provides instruction on identifying the early warning signs of a heart attack, responding to those signs, and working through the denial that often accompanies those symptoms.  Most importantly, EHAC teaches how to access the Chest Pain Center or other emergency care when a heart attack is suspected.  The program lasts approximately 45-60 minutes and is offered at Baptist Hospital or at the organization requesting the training.

Heart disease remains the number one killer of American men and women.  The incidence of heart disease has been higher than any other disease since the early 1900's.  The last 30 years reflect a downward trend in the actual number of deaths from heart disease.  Yet it still remains in first place, accounting for more than a.5 million deaths annually.  It is estimated that more than 5 million years of potential life are lost each year in this country as a result of heart disease!

Studies have shown that certain characteristics tend to lead to the development of heart disease.  These characteristics, known as coronary risk factors, when multiplied of applied over long periods of time, can increase the chances of developing heart disease.  While some of these risk factors are not modifiable, others are.  The good news it that the potential for heart disease can be lessened by identifying modifiable risk factors and making efforts to reduce them.  Lowering risk factors may be accomplished through lifestyle modification.  It is believed that the reduction of deaths from heart disease is a direct result of the efforts that have been made to reduce coronary risk factors and the advances in medical technology for treating heart disease.

The Heart & Vascular Center is dedicated to educating the community about the importance of lifestyle management of the risks for cardiovascular disease.  In doing so, we are able to provide a coronary risk profile that will allow participants to identify their own personal risk factors and institute a plan for reducing those risks.  The coronary risk profile is a simple questionnaire that can be filled out in any group setting or health fair-type forum.  The information is scanned into a computer software program that generates a personal risk profile.  The results are displayed through a graphic representation of an individual's current risk for heart disease.  Risk factors are ranked from low to moderate to high.  A detailed description of preventative measures that may reduce modifiable risks is given.  When necessary, referral to the appropriate medical follow up is made on an individual basis.

Sudden death is a condition in which the heart and lungs suddenly stop functioning.  The most serious result of a heart attack is sudden death with the incidence occurring within 1-2 hours of the onset of symptoms.  Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is the administration of artificial breathing and heartbeat for someone who has experienced sudden death.  CPR is not designed to "cure" heart disease, but will provide the necessary life-giving oxygen necessary to keep the brain and other cells alive until medical help is available.

Providing CPR training to the community is of great importance.  The Heart & Vascular Center provides free community mass CPR training sessions on a periodic basis.  The program, HeartWatch, is a service that is offered by The Heart & Vascular Center together with the CPR education center of Baptist Health Care.  In providing this training we are able to bring the lifesaving skills of CPR and choking management to the community in settings designed especially for the non-medical public.  The program can accommodate up to 1000 participants in a single day with up to four sessions to choose from.