Heart Attack Care FAQs
Fast answers when every minute matters
Heart attacks are scary and questions are normal. These answers explain what happens, why time matters, and how Baton Rouge General is ready to care for you when every minute counts.
Call 911 immediately. Paramedics can begin care, perform an EKG, and alert our team before you arrive. Survive. Don’t drive.
It’s the time from when you arrive at the hospital to when a balloon opens a blocked artery and restores blood flow to your heart.
The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association recommend treatment within 90 minutes of arrival. Our goal is under 60 minutes, and our average door-to-balloon time is 43 minutes, less than half the national guideline.
During a heart attack, every minute without blood flow causes more damage. Faster treatment means less heart muscle damage and better recovery.
Baton Rouge General is a Certified Chest Pain Center, a designation that recognizes hospitals with the right people, processes, and technology in place to quickly evaluate and treat patients with chest pain.
Paramedics can perform an EKG before you arrive and send results to our team. If a heart attack is confirmed, you may go directly to the cath lab, bypassing the ER.
A cardiac catheterization lab (cath lab) is where doctors open blocked arteries during a heart attack. Having a 24/7 cath lab means Baton Rouge General's heart lab and specialized team are always available, day or night, so life-saving treatment isn’t delayed.
Because when every minute matters, experience, preparation, and speed make the difference. At Baton Rouge General, heart attack care is designed to move fast and work together:
- Average door-to-balloon time of 43 minutes, with a goal under 60
- Certified Chest Pain Center, meeting national standards for rapid evaluation
- Care that starts before you arrive, with EMS EKGs and early alerts
- Direct access to the cardiac catheterization lab, bypassing the ER when needed
- A 24/7 cath lab and heart team, always ready, day or night
- Care that continues after discharge, focused on recovery and long-term heart health
When you’re facing a heart emergency, choosing where to go ahead of time can save precious minutes and those minutes can save your life.