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TIMING IS EVERYTHING
SWIFT ACTION AND TEAM EFFORT HELP LOCAL MAN SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK
He managed to stumble out of the
shower and make it to the bench in
front of his locker. Demetros was fairly
sure he was having a heart attack, so
he asked a man nearby to get help.
Within minutes, highly trained staff
from the center came streaming
through the locker room door.
Doctor in the House
Dr. Sharon Slowik is the cardiac rehab
medical director at Tri-City Medical
Center. She’s been a supervising
physician of the cardiac rehab program
for more than 10 years. When the
Wellness Center opened a few years
ago, the rehab program expanded
into the new space as part of a plan to
integrate medical services with fitness,
nutrition and rehabilitation programs.
On the Monday that Demetros had
his heart attack, Dr. Slowik was in the
gym at the Wellness Center working
with her cardiac patients. She was
notified that someone in the men’s
locker room was in trouble, and she
immediately went to offer help. She
quickly joined other staff members
who were attending to Demetros,
taking control of the situation.
Paramedics on Scene
Only four minutes after the 911 call
was made, paramedics from the
Carlsbad Fire Department entered
the locker room.
They connected Demetros to an
electrocardiogram (EKG) machine.
Through equipment purchased by
the Tri-City Hospital Foundation,
the EKG results were digitally
transmitted to Tri-City Medical
Center. This type of fast action and
communications systems are standard
procedure based on the long-
standing partnership between the
Carlsbad, Oceanside and Vista Fire
Departments and Tri-City.
Tom Demetros joined Tri-City Medical
Center’s Wellness Center in Carlsbad in
January 2012 to work out on the state-
of-the-art fitness equipment. He thought
it would help him get into shape. He
would soon learn, however, of the other
important benefits that come with
being a member of the center.
This is Demetros’ story—and the
story of the team who helped save
his life.
Monday, February 6,
2012, 10:50 a.m.
When he stepped into the shower
in the men’s locker room after his
morning exercise, Demetros, 65,
expected to rinse away the sweat—not
break into one. However, as he stood
under the warm water, he suddenly
experienced a terrible tightness in
his shoulders. The sensation traveled
to his chest and settled in as painful
pressure. He began to sweat.
A LIFESAVING TEAM: From left are Capt. Skip Clark; Firefighter and Paramedic Joey Gallucci; Tri-City Wellness Center Exercise
Physiologist Troy Baker; Dr. Sharon Slowik; Tom Demetros; Rebecca Levas, RN; Firefighter and Paramedic Scott Sandland; and
Capt. Theodore Berryman. Not pictured is Firefighter and Paramedic Jason McManus.
Heart Care
8
Healthy You
|
Fall 2012