Cardiovascular Critical Care
Know More: Cardiovascular Critical Care
Trustworthy information, straight from the source. Education is the first step in an empowering healthcare plan. Learn more about cardiovascular critical care to diagnosis and treatment.

Critical Care
What is cardiovascular critical care or emergency heart attack care?
North Memorial Health’s Emergency Department and Heart & Vascular Center, together, provide emergency heart attack care that ranks among the top 5 percent of hospitals in the nation. The primary goal during a heart attack is to open a blocked artery as soon as possible with a specialized balloon and/or stent. The faster the artery is opened, the better the outcome for the customer. The national average for this “door-to-balloon” time is 90 minutes. At North Memorial Health our average is 45 minutes.
When should I seek immediate care?
Call 911 if you have any of these symptoms along with chest pain:
- A sudden feeling of pressure, squeezing, tightness, or crushing under your breastbone.
- Chest pain that spreads to your jaw, left arm, or back.
- Sudden sharp chest pain with shortness of breath, especially after a long period of inactivity.