Metroplex Opens New Heart Center

The public is invited to participate in the grand opening of the new Heart and Vascular Center at Metroplex Adventist Hospital on Thursday, September 29, from 5:30 to 7 pm at the main hospital campus located at 2201 S Clear Creek Rd. in Killeen.

The $4.5 million project, which began in August 2015, added additional space and equipment to the previous Cardiac Catheter Lab.

“This expansion is a representation of our commitment to creating better health in our community,” said Carlyle Walton, president and CEO of Metroplex Health System. “Instead of having to go to a larger metropolitan area to receive state-of-the-art heart and vascular care, people can come to Metroplex and stay closer to home.”

Equipment such as the Siemens Artis Q machine, GE MACLAB Hemodynamic monitoring system, Intra-aortic Balloon Pump and Artic Sun Hypothermia cooling system, will help the Metroplex team perform procedures such as angioplasty and stenting for heart blockages and treatment of heart attacks; radiofrequency ablation for cardiac arrhythmias; placement of pacemakers; and much more.

“We are proud to offer our community world-class heart care right here in Central Texas,” said Umad Ahmad, M.D. medical director of cardiovascular services.

In addition to the expanded space and technology, the new Heart and Vascular Center also was awarded Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI and Resuscitation accreditation by the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC).

According to the SPCP website, more than 60 percent of all cardiac arrests are caused by a heart attack, which occurs when the blood flow to the heart is abruptly cut off. The addition of the Resuscitation designation to Chest Pain Center with PCI Accreditation acknowledges that the hospital receiving the designation has initiated a treatment plan that includes interventions such as early recognition; CPR and defibrillation; early intervention with Primary PCI, which means a team made up of the cardiac cath lab staff and an interventional cardiologist will arrive at the facility within 30 minutes; and simultaneous post-arrest hypothermia treatment.

“A heart attack can happen to anyone,” said Dr. Ahmad. “Being an accredited Chest Pain Center means that we apply best practices with the most advanced treatments to provide the highest-quality care for our patients.”

For more information about the Heart and Vascular Center at Metroplex, please call Call254-519-8578 or visit AdventHealth Central Texas.