Thursday August 06, 2020

American Heart Association recognizes Cabarrus EMS

Cabarrus County EMS recently received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline EMS Gold Plus award for implementing quality improvement measures for the treatment of patients who experience severe heart attacks.

This is the seventh consecutive year Cabarrus has been recognized by Mission: Lifeline since the recognition program launched in 2014.

“The EMS Gold Plus recognition is a reflection of our team’s commitment to above standard training and practice,” said EMS Assistant Director Justin Brines. “If you have a cardiac event in Cabarrus County, you’re going to get a crew that is trained in the most up-to-date, evidence-based treatment guidelines. We are proud of how this has improved patient care and outcomes.”

Every year, more than 250,000 people experience an ST elevation myocardial infarction, or STEMI—the deadliest type of heart attack caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it’s critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication.

EMS is typically the first provider of care to cardiac emergencies, so the role of personnel is crucial and often sets the course for a patient’s outcome, the American Heart Association website states.

The Mission: Lifeline program recognizes EMS agencies for their efforts to improve systems of care to rapidly identify suspected heart attack patients, promptly notify the medical center and trigger an early response from the awaiting hospital personnel.

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