SANDUSKY —Firelands Regional Medical Center received four American Heart Association achievement awards. Firelands demonstrated commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease and stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital.

This year, Firelands Regional Medical Center received the following achievement awards:

• Get With The Guidelines® – Heart Failure Gold Plus
• Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke Gold Plus
• Mission: Lifeline® – NSTEMI Silver
• Mission: Lifeline® – STEMI Receiving Center Gold Plus

Get With The Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline put the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest evidence- and research-based guidelines.

As a participant in Get With The Guidelines program since 2006.

Mission: Lifeline program since 2012, Firelands has demonstrated its commitment to improving quality care for patients.

“We are honored to receive this prestigious recognition for the treatment of our patients that need cardiovascular care,” said Senior Director of Quality Sheri Johnson. “It is our mission to provide the best care and improve the lives of those we serve.”

According to the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association, heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. Stroke ranks as the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and nearly 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.

“We are pleased to recognize Firelands Regional Medical Center for its commitment to caring for those in their community who need cardiovascular care,” said John Warner, M.D., FAHA, past president of the American Heart Association and CEO of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “Hospitals that follow the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols often see improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities.”

Time matters in both heart attack and stroke situations. STEMI stands for ST-elevation myocardial infarction and is a type of heart attack that completely blocks off blood flow to the heart muscle. NSTEMI is a partial block of blood flow to the heart muscle. A STEMI is the most serious type of heart attack and is best treated as soon as a patient presents any signs.

Signs of a heart attack includes: discomfort in the arms or chest, shortness of breath, sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness.

Stroke recognition can best be remembered by the acronym “be fast.”

• Balance – look for a sudden loss of balance or unsteadiness.
• Eye – notice any changes in vision.
• Face – look for facial droop, or an uneven smile.
• Arm – look for drifting in outstretched arms or inability to hold arms out.
• Speech – listen for changes in speech, slurred words, or inability to speak.
• Time – get to the hospital immediately.