Record-Setting Cardiac Care Saves Spring Woman

A major artery supplying blood to Nancy Marsh’s heart was completely blocked. The ER cardiology team at St. Luke’s Health - The Vintage Hospital cleared it in record time. That is why Nancy is alive today.

The 68-year-old retired optician from Spring, Texas, was at home and began to feel nauseous. A diabetic, Nancy assumed it was low blood sugar. Moments later, she collapsed in her bathroom. When she awoke, her son was by her side, and her husband, Richard, a certified  EMS volunteer, positioned Nancy to maintain a clear airway.

Five minutes later, EMS paramedics arrived and alerted the ER team at St. Luke’s Health - The Vintage Hospital of Nancy's EKG, which revealed a massive heart attack. "They strapped me in and put me in the back of the ambulance. I was awake, but I didn't panic. I had no fear, and I wasn’t in any pain," Nancy recalled.

Nancy’s right coronary artery was completely blocked, triggering a potentially deadly heart attack called a ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), which prevented blood from flowing to Nancy’s heart. “She came in at the right time,” said Karim Abdur Rehman, MD, Interventional Cardiologist at St. Luke’s - The Vintage. “She didn't complain of chest pain or typical symptoms, other than passing out. We took her immediately to the cardiac catheter lab and implanted stents to clear the artery.”

The pre-alert sent by EMS gave the team time to prepare for Nancy’s arrival and resolve the condition in just 30 minutes.

Setting a New Standard in Cardiac Care

Hospitals are ranked on “door-to-balloon time” - measured from the moment a heart attack patient arrives at the hospital to the second the blood flow is restored to the heart. “Nancy's was the fastest time we've ever treated a patient with a heart attack like hers," according to Jeremy Jones, RN, CEN - the Stroke and Chest Pain Program Coordinator at St. Luke’s - The Vintage.

“We have a tremendously competent team, and everyone is always at the top of their game -  EMS and ER and cardiac cath lab staff, it’s all teamwork. It's a whole system,” Dr. Rehman said. 

Nancy remained in the hospital so the cardiology team could clear a second blockage in her left coronary artery, using the same minimally invasive procedure. After a week and a half, she was discharged with only small incisions at the catheter site.

The experience was a close call for Nancy, who has now survived a potentially deadly heart attack, a brain aneurysm, two bouts of breast cancer and a serious case of bacterial pneumonia that left her with Type 2 Diabetes.  

Nancy never complained of chest pain or shortness of breath. According to Dr. Rehman, it is not uncommon for women to experience atypical symptoms rather than crushing chest pain, shortness of breath or incessant sweating. As a result, he advises anyone with cardiac risk factors, such as diabetes or high cholesterol, to see a cardiologist for proper screenings and medications, if warranted.

Fortunately, the STEMI caused no permanent damage to Nancy’s heart, but “with a few more seconds, it could have,” Jones said.

Nancy and her family are grateful for the lifesaving care provided by the medical team at St. Luke’s - The Vintage. “They were fantastic. Excellent,” Nancy said afterwards. “That's why we came to The Vintage. The doctors surpassed everything I had heard about them. The nurses are empathetic, the staff, patient care, everybody was excellent.”

Take Charge of Your Heart Health

If you're concerned about your risk for heart disease or simply want a heart health evaluation, connect with our experienced cardiologists at St. Luke’s Health - The Vintage Hospital. Schedule an appointment with a provider near you.