Chest pain can strike at any time of the day or night. That's why Baptist Hospital East has a special Chest Pain Unit in its Emergency Department.

The nine-bed unit is designed to care for patients who are suffering from unexplained chest pain, but have no obvious risk factors for a heart attack, such as obesity, a history of smoking or a history of heart disease. Patients in the unit are observed, monitored and tested by nurses experienced in caring for patients with chest pain. Aggressive diagnostic testing allows most chest pain unit patients to go home in just nine to 12 hours ---- saving a costly hospital admission.

Although chest pain is the most common symptom of a heart attack, it can also result from other medical problems. Non-heart-related causes of chest pain can include indigestion, gallbladder attacks, pleurisy, muscle strains, a broken rib, viral infections or a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. Some of these problems are serious, and others are not. The Baptist Hospital East Emergency Department has the resources to care for all of them.

Patients who are having a heart attack are promptly evaluated in the Emergency Department and treated immediately with life-saving treatments.

Rapid response
The American College of Cardiology standard for heart attacks is treatment with primary angioplasty or stent within 90 minutes of coming through the Emergency Department door.

Baptist East has been meeting -- and frequently exceeding -- that standard since 2003 through the hard work of a multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses and clinicians.

Know the symptoms
More than 1.1 million Americans suffer a heart attack each year. Symptoms of a heart attack may include pain in the chest, arm, head, shoulder or abdomen, or nausea, fatigue and shortness of breath. Women are more likely to feel tired, or generally ill. If you feel these symptoms, dial 911 immediately.

Keeping blood pressure under control is an important factor in a heart-healthy lifestyle. Click here for a printable blood pressure log.