‘I Saved Myself From a Heart Attack Twice’

Posted Oct. 24, 2012

Dawn Peterson of Park Rapids came to St. Joseph’s Emergency Department (ED) in February 2011 with “weird” symptoms. She complained of “rubbery legs,” lethargy, bloating, and dizziness.

“It was goofy stuff, but I knew something was wrong,” she says. Her instincts to seek care probably saved her life. Following a stress test with St. Joseph’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Department, Peterson was headed to Fargo for a coronary stent placement that turned into open-heart surgery. The 52-year-old wasn’t surprised given her family history of cardiac disease.

Peterson returned to St. Joseph’s for Cardiac Rehab the following month. With a positive outlook and dedication to a heart-healthy diet and exercise regime, she felt good and loved the care she received. “Staff there were my lifeline,” she says.

As good as she was about following her program, the odd symptoms returned in March. This time she didn’t hesitate to get to St. Joseph’s ED. Once again, Peterson was prepped for open-heart surgery, this time for a double bypass. Her new stent was already plugged up. Again, Peterson cites family genetics as a factor in her fight to beat heart disease.

Today she is on a strict diet of fruits, vegetables, and lean meats. She keeps her calorie count to 1,300 per day and exercises seven days a week. She is a walking medical dictionary on cholesterol and diligently tracks her “good” and “bad” profiles.

“I feel excellent, better than I have in the last few years, and have lots of energy,” she says. Her story is a message to anyone who thinks they are experiencing symptoms of a heart attack -- seek immediate care.

To learn more, or to see if you are at risk for heart disease, talk to your regular provider. Ask if you could benefit from screenings provided at St. Joseph’s.

St. Joseph’s Cardiac Rehabilitation’s Deb Hagen, RN, (left) prepares Dawn Peterson for a stress test.

St. Joseph’s Cardiac Rehabilitation’s Deb Hagen, RN, (left) prepares Dawn Peterson for a stress test.

Warning Signs of a Heart Attack

Dawn Peterson learned that warning signs of a heart attack, especially for women, can be subtle. The American Heart Asso- ciation says minutes matter and recommends anyone who thinks they are experiencing a heart attack to call 9-1-1 immediately.

Warning signs include:

  • Chest discomfort that lasts more than a few minutes
  • Discomfort in other areas of the upper body such as the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach
  • Shortness of breath
  • Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness

Reasons Providers Order Stress Tests

  • Chest pain/Pressure/Discomfort
  • Shortness of breath
  • Pre-operative testing
  • Cardiac event follow-up
  • Increased fatigue
  • Decreased energy
  • Dizziness
  • Coronary artery disease
  • Arrhythmias
Tell your provider you would like to have your tests done at St. Joseph’s

Stress Tests administered at SJAHS

  • One-day Test - Monitored patient walks on treadmill to stress the heart.
  • Two-day Cardiolyte Stress Test - Monitored patient walks on a treadmill. Utilizing nuclear medicine, pictures are taken of the heart. Resting pictures of the heart are also taken, usually the following day.
  • Two-day Lexiscan Stress Test - This test is a medically-induced stress test. Patients do NOT walk on a treadmill. They receive medication to simulate walking on a treadmill. Utilizing nuclear medicine, pictures are taken of the heart.