You are here: Bronovo Hospital / Patients / Patient advice / Heart First...

Heart First Aid

 Heart First Aid

With the help of this leaflet, we would like to inform you and your family about the Heart First Aid and the procedure in our department.

The Heart First Aid department is located near the Coronary Care Unit on the 3rd floor. You came to our department via the G.P. / Accident & Emergency Department / Outpatient Clinic with symptoms that possibly could have something to do with your heart. The Heart First Aid is intended to determine the cause of these symptoms and to treat them if necessary.

It takes about 4-6 hours to be able to establish the initial diagnosis.
In order to be able to do this, a nurse will perform several procedures after your arrival.

  • You will be seated on one of the red chairs.
  • By means of 10 electrodes on your chest you will be connected to a monitor which will show your heartbeat.
  • An ECG (electrocardiograph) will be made.
  • Your blood pressure will be measured twice, both from the left side and the right side.
  • Usually, an IV needle will be inserted to take blood. This will remain in your arm in order to administer any medication or to take blood again.

Examination
Pending the examinations, which take a maximum of 90 minutes, the doctor will come to see you. After the results of the examinations are known, further consultations will take place with the cardiologist about any follow-up examinations.

Possible examinations are:

  • Chest X-ray
  • Heart ultrasound
  • CT-scan of the heart
  • Exercise test (cycling)
  • Further blood tests

      • In some cases, it may be necessary for you to fast. You will, therefore, need to ask permission before you eat or drink anything. If you have any doubts about this, please ask the nurse.

      Follow-up
      After the follow-up examinations have been conducted, a consultation with the cardiologist will follow to discuss the treatment:

      • You can go home possibly with a follow-up appointment.
      • You will be admitted to the Coronary Care Unit.
      • You will be admitted to the nursing ward.

      Visitors
      People who have accompanied you to the hospital can wait during your stay. However, considering that your stay will last several hours, we recommend, after consulting them, that you can let them leave after having left their telephone number with a member of the staff.

      How to reach us
      The Heart First Aid can be reached by telephone via the Coronary Care Unit's direct number: +31 (0)70 – 312 40 17. Mobile phones can not be used in the Coronary Care Unit / Heart First Aid.

      Edition: March 2011/254