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Care Opinion

Heart Attack

Posted By Will58

"Heart Attack"

About: Altnagelvin Area Hospital / Cardiology Whiteabbey Hospital / Cardiology

(as the patient),

I unexpectedly had a heart attack whilst out walking whilst on holiday.

I experienced a feeling like a weighted bar on my chest and my left arm went extremely weak ,not knowing what was happening I drove to Causeway hospital just about 3-4 miles away .

I was taken immediately and they done blood tests which proved I had had a heart attack. Within 1 hour I was bluelighted to Altnagelvin Hospital and had a stent fitted with a 2nd 1 fitted 2 days later.

The service was excellent and very quick response .

The only thing was on the discharge from Altnagelvin was the lack of information about tablets the side effects, and what happened as regards follow up with hospital and doctors 

I was not anxious or afraid during the stent procedure as the staff and doctors were very reassuring.

About a week later I experienced shortness of breath and on phoning my own GP didn’t get a lot of information. It was only a couple of weeks later when I was referred to the Cardiac Rehab in Whiteabbey hospital that the Nurses there - Roisin and Joanne - explained the reaction to the Ticagulor tablets and side effects of the tablets prescribed. They are excellent and have been very helpful during the whole Rehab course .

The classes have been very informative and Alan from Ballyearl the physical rehab classes have been excellent .

I have to say I have been feeling much better and much more confident since attending the classes .

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Responses

Response from Lauren Henry, Clinical Services Manager Cardiology /Rheumatology, Antrim/Causeway Hospital, NHSCT 4 weeks ago
Lauren Henry
Clinical Services Manager Cardiology /Rheumatology, Antrim/Causeway Hospital,
NHSCT

Submitted on 17/04/2024 at 12:35
Published on Care Opinion at 12:35

Hello my name is Lauren Henry, I am a clinical services manager for Cardiology. Thank you for telling your story, it is clear the impact of cardiac rehabilitation is very important. I will share your story with the cardiac rehab team and Alan from Ballyearl.

Warmest wishes as you continue your recovery,

Lauren

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Response from Ward 44/CCU Ward Manager, Cardiology, Western Health Social Care Trust last week
Western Health Social Care Trust

Submitted on 07/05/2024 at 11:44
Published on Care Opinion at 12:41

Hi Will58,

My name is Chris Gray and I am the Ward Manager for Ward 44/CCU at Altnagelvin Hospital. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your story. I am so pleased to hear about the positive experience you had and that the care you received was to a high standard. I have shared this with the team here and in the Cath Lab.

Cardiac Rehabilitation is an important part of the recovery process after a heart attack and I am happy to hear you are being monitored by your local team. Normally, you will be seen by a member of the Cardiac Rehab Team before you leave hospital, but in some circumstances this is not always possible. At Altnagelvin we make the referral to your local team for follow up on discharge, and I am sorry to learn that this was not explained to you.

In regards to medication, patients can experience unwanted side effects. Although staff should try to give as much information as possible, every patient may respond differently. I will ask for discharging staff to ensure they draw people’s attention to the included medication information leaflet for further reference.

Wishing you the very best on your continued recovery.

Chris

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Update posted by Will58 (the patient)

Thank you Chris for your reply

Please pass on my regards and thanks to the Cath lab team and also the nursing staff they were excellent and very helpful. I appreciate it was very late when I was discharged and there were no pharmacists around.

Unfortunately my own GP was not very helpful when I rang them about the side effects so it was a bit daunting not knowing about the side effect’s of the tablets.

Many thanks to you and your team at Altnagelvin.

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