Specialized Cardiac Care Saving Lives At Wellington Regional Medical Center

Specialized Cardiac Care Saving Lives At Wellington Regional Medical Center

Hypothermia in Florida? Unique specialty treatments such as hypothermia therapy at Wellington Regional Medical Center make a big difference in cardiac care.

Steve Calia, 63, had just returned from a walk with his dogs when he collapsed to the floor. His wife, Jill, and their son, Kevin, rushed to help him.

Kevin was the hero, said Jill, recalling how the 911 operator helped coach him through providing CPR, as they waited for the ambulance to arrive. The 911 operator was also excellent, Jill noted, describing how she provided detailed instructions as they listened to everything through the speaker phone. If it weren’t for her help, there might have been a different outcome, Jill said.

Paramedics took Steve to Wellington Regional Medical Center, an accredited Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI and Resuscitation. This means that the hospital is equipped to deal with cardiac cases and administer specialty hypothermia care for select patients.

“Mr. Calia was very critical at the time he arrived,” explained Dr. Sreedhar Chintala, medical director of critical care services.

Chintala explained that the CPR was key to Steve’s emergency treatment and helped keep his brain alive, but he had not had enough blood supply and oxygen to his brain. There were two major blockages and very low heart function, Chintala added. The patient also suffered from ventricular fibrillation, which is a serious disturbance in the heart rhythm. This led to cardiac arrest — an extremely dangerous condition that causes the heart to stop beating.

For select patients, cooling the body temperature with hypothermia therapy can offer effective treatment. Patients whose heartbeat has returned, but who are still unconscious, may be candidates for this therapy. The brain has a high metabolism and needs a lot of oxygen, Chintala explained. Cooling the body slows the brain’s metabolism and can help to reduce neurological damage. It can also increase the chance that the patient will wake up.

Jill recalled waiting anxiously with their three sons for her husband to regain consciousness. Then, while she was standing by his bedside with their son Tommy, he opened his eyes.

“The first thing I remember was my son telling me to squeeze his finger,” Steve recalled. “I still didn’t really grasp the situation. In my mind, it wasn’t real.”

He then got to know the hospital team that had been supporting and caring for him. “The staff was great,” he said.

“It’s not just being good with the patient, they were also very helpful to the family,” Jill added.

Chintala noted that Steve also received antioxidant therapy to support his recovery. This involved providing a combination of vitamin C, vitamin E and coenzyme Q10 (or CoQ10) to help protect the neurons in the brain from getting damaged.

Steve improved significantly. After 20 days in the hospital, he returned home, with a plan to begin outpatient rehabilitation. Rehab after cardiac arrest, such as mind-stimulating exercises, can have significant long-term benefits, Chintala said.

Today, Steve continues to work on getting better. He was able to celebrate his granddaughter’s birthday recently and is excited about soon being a grandfather for the second time. Also, he and Jill, who breed goldendoodle puppies, welcomed a new litter this past year. His family reminds him that recovery will take time, which he thankfully has. “I’m grateful that I’m alive,” he said.

To learn more about cardiology services at Wellington Regional Medical Center, visit www.wellingtonregional.com/cardiac.

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