Patient Information --> Medical and Surgical Information --> Recovery --> Monitoring and Care in the Hospital

Cardiac patients and potential cardiac patients at the Central Maine Heart and Vascular Institute and Central Maine Medical Center are cared for by nurses specially trained in cardiac care. For this reason, these patients are admitted to either the Cardiac Care Unit, the Single Stay Unit, or the Telemetry Unit.

For those admitted for cardiac evaluation, continuous ECG monitoring is started right away, since heart irregularities can occur in the first few hours after a heart attack. Small electrodes are attached to the patient’s chest to monitor the heart rhythm. This rhythm is displayed on a bedside monitor. In many cases the bedside monitor will be replaced by a little box that connects to the same electrodes. This box transmits the heart signal to a central monitor at the nurses' station where it is watched. This little box gives patients a lot more freedom to move around.

Sometimes, people have symptoms that seem to indicate a heart attack when, in fact, there is another cause. At other times, people have a heart attack without the usual signs and symptoms. For both types of people, the best thing that can be done is to treat the patient as if they are having a heart attack for 12 to 24 hours until doctors understand the cause of the problem. It can take this long for the body to release the enzymes that indicate a heart attack has occurred. During this time, the following steps may be taken to better assure the patient’s safety:

• An intravenous line may be inserted to administer medications and fluids.

• Oxygen is usually given, even if blood oxygen levels are normal. 

• A urinary catheter may be inserted to closely monitor fluid status.

• Visiting time with family and close friends should be balanced with activity and rest. Physical exertion and emotional upset place stress on the heart. Rest is important to recovery.