Feb 14, 2003 By Jackie Beranek 5 min read

The Uniontown Hospital announced Thursday that it’s now able to perform angioplasty and cardiac stents, procedures that hospital officials say will benefit local residents suffering from heart disease. Uniontown Hospital, Monongahela Valley Hospital and Somerset Hospital all have received state approval to perform the life-saving procedure, which may also involve the placement of a stent in a blocked artery to keep the blood flowing.

Paul Bacharach, president and CEO of Uniontown Hospital, said cardiologists at Uniontown Hospital recently did their first procedure on an 80-year-old man, who was discharged from the hospital a day later and completely recovered.

“It was another first for Uniontown Hospital, and it’s great news for the hundreds of people who suffer heart attacks in our community each year,” Bacharach said. “The introduction of balloon angioplasty and stents marks an immediate change for the better in the way heart attacks are managed in Fayette County.”

Dr. Thomas P. Wharton, chief of cardiology and director of the cardiac catheterization lab at Exeter Hospital in Exeter, N.H., said balloon angioplasty is widely regarded as the most effective first-hand treatment for coronary artery disease and heart attacks.

“Angioplasty is a procedure that uses a balloon-tipped catheter to open blocked arteries and restore blood flow to the heart,” said Wharton, who was at Uniontown Hospital on Thursday for a press conference on balloon angioplasty and cardiac stents. “Often, stents, cylindrical devices, are placed in the newly opened arteries to maintain blood flow.”

Uniontown Hospital cardiologist Dr. V.C. Yadagani said that until now, community hospitals like Uniontown did not offer options beyond clot-busting drugs, called thrombolytic therapy.

“When a patient needed angioplasty, we had no other alternative except to transfer them to Pittsburgh or Morgantown,” said Yadagani.

Dr. Jeffrey Frye, medical director of the emergency medicine department at Uniontown, said research has proven that offering angioplasty in a community setting, where nearly 80 percent of heart attacks occur, is the best way to increase the heart attack survival rate.

“For some time, clinical research has shown that results improve after a heart attack when treatment can be administered quickly,” he said.

Bacharach said the factors that put people at risk for cardiovascular disease and heart attack are greater in Fayette County than anywhere else in western Pennsylvania. And, compared to the state as a whole, he said, Fayette County has the death rates for cardiovascular and heart disease to document that risk.

“The impact that these procedures can have in Fayette County is potentially enormous,” said Bacharach. “With one the oldest populations in the state and higher than average cardiovascular risk statistics, Fayette County residents stand to benefit significantly.

“When indicators such as weight, diabetes, cholesterol and exercise were studied, researchers found that people in Fayette County are more likely to suffer heart attacks than their neighbors in other counties,” Bacharach added.

Bacharach said Fayette County has the fifth-highest death rate for cardiovascular disease among Pennsylvania’s 67 counties and is tied for second behind Forest County for the rate of death from heart disease.

A recent survey compiled by Tripp, Umbach & Associates Inc., based on research provided by Health Care Visions, found the following:

– 24.2 percent of people in Fayette County are overweight, versus 21.2 percent in the United States.

– 28.2 percent of people in Fayette County don’t exercise, versus 23.1 percent in the Pennsylvania and 16.1 percent in the nation.

– 13.9 percent of people in Fayette County have diabetes, versus 5.9 percent in Pennsylvania and 7.8 percent nationwide.

– 30.9 percent of people in Fayette County have high cholesterol, versus the national 22 percent rate.

“The addition of the balloon angioplasty is another example of Uniontown Hospital’s commitment to providing our at-risk community with access to the best treatment options available,” Bacharach said. “The hospital will also be implementing aggressive education and prevention programs to bring the incidence of cardiovascular and heart disease in line with the rest of the state.”

Cardiologist Dr. David Murello said his patients will benefit from having the service available locally, both in terms of time and convenience.

“And, instead of sending them to be treated by an unknown physician in an unknown place, they can be cared for here where I can see and monitor them daily,” he said.

Murello said the early warning signs of heart attack can be subtle.

“Often, the early symptoms of a heart attack are mild,” said Murello. “Knowing what to look for and acting quickly can mean the difference between life and death.

He gave the following warning signs that could mean impending damage to a person’s heart.

– Chest discomfort: any nagging pressure, aching or pain in the chest or back area.

– Indigestion: a burning sensation in the chest or a persistent feeling of bad indigestion.

– Discomfort in the left arm, in the inner side and sometimes in the right arm, jaw and teeth.

– Shortness of breath: trouble breathing, sweating or a flu-like feeling could mean a heart attack is on the way.

“Often, these symptoms come and go, receding with rest and getting worse with activity. In any event, the faster you seek help, the better your chance of surviving,” Murello said.