Cardiac Arrest Center
In 2009, Mercy Gilbert Medical Center received designation as a Cardiac Arrest Center by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), joining a network of 22 hospitals throughout Arizona that are recognized and fully operational.
Receiving designation as Cardiac Arrest Center highlights our hospital's ability to provide comprehensive, leading-edge care to those experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest. This important recognition illustrates the advanced capabilities and care processes available at Mercy Gilbert to treat these patients.
According to ADHS, sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and claims an estimated 400,000 lives annually. Of those, nearly 166,000 have a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital, with less than five percent surviving the incident. However, should an individual in cardiac arrest receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation or cardiocerebral resuscitation prior to the arrival of emergency medical personnel, and is then transported to a designated Cardiac Arrest Center, the chance of survival increases to roughly 40 percent.
To become a designated Cardiac Arrest Center, ADHS required hospitals to meet the following criteria:
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Cardiac intervention capabilities, which includes a cardiac catheterization lab and access to an interventional cardiologist 24 hours a day, seven days a week;
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A therapeutic hypothermia method to cool patients for at least 24 hours after a cardiac event, which helps reduce the risk of brain damage; and
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A coordinated approach to cardiac care with local emergency medical personnel to provide specific lifesaving protocols before the patient arrives at the hospital.
Members of the community may also participate in the HeartAware™ program, an innovative, online heart disease detection program. This easy-to-use tool is invaluable to individuals who don't even realize they are at risk. More importantly, the program provides ways to reduce and control risk factors with lifestyle changes and medical intervention, when necessary, to prevent heart attacks. To take the free, online risk assessment, please visit HeartAwareTest.com.
For more information, please call (480) 728-7208.
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