When Seconds Count

When the blood flow to the heart becomes blocked, a heart attack can occur. Every year, about 1.1 million people in the United States have a heart attack. Nearly half of them die, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Thanks to rapid medical intervention, many heart attack patients get a second chance. South Miami Heart Center recognizes the need for quick, quality heart attack care and treatment. That’s why we earned accreditation for our Heart Attack Unit from the Society of Chest Pain Centers.

Fast Fact:

South Miami Hospital was the first nongovernmental hospital in Miami-Dade County to receive accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers.

Rapid Response Saves Lives

When a heart attack strikes, time is not on your side. The American Heart Association recommends an angioplasty procedure to open blocked heart vessels within 90 minutes of a patient’s arrival in the emergency room.

Fast Fact:

South Miami Heart Center’s Heart Attack Unit consistently provides treatment for heart attack patients in under 60 minutes.

Even before patients arrive at South Miami Heart Center’s Heart Attack Unit, our team works with emergency services personnel to coordinate treatment while patients are in transit. We’re ready — 24 hours a day, seven days a week — to immediately diagnose and provide treatment for heart attacks. And our cardiac specialists are available 24/7 to perform angioplasty procedures to prevent permanent damage to the heart muscle. After a heart attack, patients receive round-the-clock care from our interventional cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons and nurses.

When seconds count, count on South Miami Heart Center.

Heart Attack Symptoms & Treatment

If you experience any of the following symptoms—don’t wait—call 9-1-1 immediately.

• Chest pain or discomfort that lasts or goes away and comes back
• Discomfort in one or both arms, jaw, neck, back or stomach
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea or vomiting
• Lightheadedness or fainting
• Cold sweat

Physician Referral

Get an online referral to a South Miami Heart Center physician or call the South Miami Heart Center Physician Referral line at 786-662-2222.