TALLAHASSEE– Capital Regional Medical Center now offers victims of sudden cardiac arrest hypothermia therapy, or cooling of the body temperature, as a method to reduce the damage caused to the brain and heart tissue associated with this lifethreatening condition. The use of hypothermia therapy is new to the United States—fewer than 300 hospitals currently use this treatment, but has become a standard practice in many overseas countries.
Research related to the use of hypothermia therapy resulted in significant improvement in the survival of a heart attack according to the New England Journal of Medicine. “This is an exciting opportunity to work with our EMS services to provide cutting edge treatment to the people of Tallahassee and the surrounding areas,” stated Director of Emergency Services, Susie West. “Add this treatment to our ability to keep our average wait times in the ER below the national average and I think the people of Tallahassee are very lucky to have access to this level of care in a smaller city.” “We applaud the Leon County Emergency Medical Services team for working with both hospitals to develop this new treatment for their clients and our patients,” added Capital Regional Medical Center CEO, Bud Wethington. SOURCE: Press release