Northland man grateful for live-saving cardiology care at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center

February is American Heart Month, which spotlights heart disease, the No. 1 killer in the U.S. “Heart disease” refers to several types of life-threatening heart conditions. This disease often can be silent and undiagnosed until a person experiences a heart attack, heart failure or arrhythmia.

Silent was the case for 65-year-old William “Billy” Wirta in May 2022. Visiting family, Wirta and his 9-year-old granddaughter had just returned from a three-mile walk and were resting when he suddenly went into cardiac arrest.

“My granddaughter and I were talking, and I became unresponsive,” said Wirta. “She called for her mom, who instantly knew something was wrong and called 911.”

Fortunately, his daughter has some health care training and understood what was happening. She was able to perform CPR until the paramedics arrived.

Taken by ambulance to Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center, an unconscious Wirta was rushed into the 24-hour cardiac catheterization lab (cath lab). While en route, a STEMI (ST elevation myocardial infarction) alert was issued, meaning it was all hands on deck to deliver Wirta life-saving care. He would be unconscious for 36 hours.

Wirta wound up being treated for coronary artery disease, a build-up of plaque within the arteries.

“I had to have two stents put in because I had 99% blockage in two of my arteries,” he said.

He spent nine days in the hospital.

“The care was exceptional, top to bottom,” said Wirta. “They talked to me, they held my hand, reassured me everything was going to be OK and were just so compassionate.”

Now on the mend, Wirta’s recovery was enhanced by Essentia’s cardiac rehab program, which utilizes individualized treatment plans to help strengthen patients’ hearts and recover from major cardiac events. Cardiac rehab offers a team approach to treat the whole person, with patients having access to a dietician, exercise physiologists and a mindfulness/stress management coach.

“I’ve been able to make a lot of dietary changes, lose some weight and am working to get my endurance back up,” said Wirta. “The staff helping with my rehab are exceptional and, overall, my care has been second to none.”

Wirta has utilized a portion of the heart and vascular services offered by Essentia. From prevention, diagnosis, treatment and recovery, Essentia’s highly trained specialists deliver the best possible care. Our team is equipped to treat more than 100 types of heart disease in a personalized manner.

Patients should consider seeing a cardiologist if they are experiencing dizzy spells, shortness of breath or chest pain.

Risk factors for heart disease include the following:

• Chest pain, pressure, burning, aching or tightness — it may come and go.
• A family history of cardiovascular disease.
• High blood pressure.
• Overweight or obese.
• Sedentary lifestyle.
• Using tobacco products.
• Metabolic disease, diabetes or other illnesses.
• Taking certain birth control pills, a history of pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes or having a low-birthweight baby.

Symptoms include:

• Men may feel pain and numbness in the left arm or side of chest, but in women these symptoms may appear on the right side.
• Women may feel completely exhausted, drained, dizzy or nauseous.
• Women may feel upper back pain that travels into their jaw.
• Women may think their stomach pain is the flu, heartburn or an ulcer.
• Feeling of fullness.
• Pain that travels down one or both arms.
• Excessive fatigue or weakness.
• Anxiety.

In some instances, the signs and symptoms are different. The patient may not complain about pain or pressure in the chest. Be alert for the following:

• A sharp or “knife-like” pain that occurs with coughing or breathing.
• Pain that spreads above the jawbone or into the lower body.
• Difficult or labored breathing.

For the last 10 years, St. Mary’s has been honored with the Platinum Award for our heart attack care. Awarded by the American College of Cardiology, it’s one of the highest cardiac honors a health care system can achieve, recognizing positive patient outcomes, performance and quality of care. Essentia’s cardiology team has also received several awards, from the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, the Minnesota Department of Health and more and is a designated STEMI receiving center by the Minnesota Department of Health.