(Batesville, Ark.) – Survival Flight and White River Medical Center (WRMC) are proud to be working together to ensure the patients of Independence County and the surrounding areas have enhanced care when suffering from a severe heart attack. Survival Flight and WRMC both recently received training on the Intra-aortic Balloon Pump (IABP). An IABP is a type of therapeutic device that will assist your heart in pumping more blood, mitigating the damages caused by heart attacks and a related condition called cardiogenic shock. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart attack is the leading cause of death across the United States. It is vital that a patient suffering from a heart attack receive coronary intervention in a timely manner, which can be a challenge in rural areas such as Independence County.  Knowing that both WRMC and Survival Flight offer this important service means that whether you receive direct care from the hospital or require helicopter EMS assistance, you have a full range of healthcare services available to you. Survival Flight and WRMC continually track and constantly strive to reduce the time from when a heart attack happens to when the patient receives lifesaving treatment.  

“White River Health System recently received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline EMS Silver Plus Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures to treat patients who suffer severe heart attacks,” said Gary Paxson, President & CEO of White River Health System.  “This is affirmation of the focus WRHS puts on providing optimal care for patients experiencing a heart attack. We are grateful for Survival Flight and all Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in our area for providing prompt care to patients.”

“As EMS providers it is our responsibility to recognize a heart attack in the field and transport that person as quickly as possible to the closest facility with the capabilities to treat,” said Will Smith, Nurse at Survival flight. “We are truly fortunate to have White River Medical Center providing cutting edge treatments to the patients of the surrounding counties.”  

  If you think you or someone you know is having a heart attack, immediately dial 911. Common heart attack Warning signs are pain or discomfort in the chest; lightheadedness, nausea, or vomiting; Jaw, neck, or back pain; discomfort or pain in arm or shoulder, or shortness of breath.