Ken Wilks in the multi-faith garden at West Middlesex University Hospital
A patient at West Middlesex University Hospital is urging people with suspected heart problems to keep their appointments and get checked out.
66-year-old Ken Wilks from Feltham says his life was saved by attending a cardiology outpatient appointment at the hospital before Christmas (12th December 2011).
He was referred by his GP for further investigation after some chest pain and symptoms which Ken thought was indigestion.
He had an ECG and consultation with specialist nurse Agnes Kaba at West Mid’s Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic and took a running test to monitor his heart function under stress.
Ken was running on the machine being monitored by two physiologists when he began to feel unwell and the test was stopped. Ken had a sudden pain across his chest and was close to having a heart attack.
Medics at the hospital reacted quickly to make Ken comfortable and stabilise his condition. He was taken by ambulance to Hammersmith Hospital’s specialist heart centre for an emergency angioplasty (to re-open a blocked artery).
Ken was back recovering at West Mid’s Coronary Care Unit within hours and is now receiving cardiac rehabilitation.
He said: “When I was running on the machine my artery went from 60 per cent open to completely closed. There’s only a very limited amount of time for blood supply to be restored to your heart so I might not have survived if it had happened outside the hospital. It was only because I went to get checked out that it happened in the best possible place.
“I would urge anyone who has symptoms that they’re not sure about to go to their GP. And if you’ve got an outpatient appointment make sure you keep it because you never know what’s around the corner.”
Many risk factors can lead to heart disease, including poor diet, smoking, lack of exercise, and stress. If you are concerned about your health arrange to see your GP who can refer you to a cardiology department like West Mid’s if they feel you need further investigation.
If you think you are having a heart attack or angina (chest pain) symptoms you should immediately dial 999 for an ambulance.
Agnes Kaba, Specialist Nurse, explains: “Heart attack symptoms can vary for different people, ranging from a severe pain in the centre of the chest, to mild discomfort, jaw pain, left arm pain, or symptoms of indigestion. In some cases chest pain or discomfort is accompanied by other symptoms like shortness of breath.
“If you, or anyone around you, experience any of these symptoms don’t ignore them. Dialling 999 will get you the quickest possible treatment. The soon you get treatment the greater your chance of survival.”
February 2012 is National Heart Month and further information about this can found on the British Heart Foundation website: www.bhf.org.uk
Healthy hearts
Recognising heart attack symptoms
West Middlesex University Hospital’s cardiology department
ENDS
Notes to Editors
For information or to arrange an interview, please contact the media team on
020 8321 6342.
West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust is an award winning major acute hospital near Twickenham, West London. It provides a full range of services to residents of the London Boroughs of Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames.
