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Heart LifeLine Alliance

The Heart Lifeline Alliance℠ was developed in 2008 by the cardiologists at Missouri Baptist Medical Center in partnership with rural hospitals, medical helicopter and ambulance services.  In 2010, Missouri Baptist began a partnership with local emergency services to notify the Cath Lab of a patient's arrival so the lab can be prepared. 

The program helps prepare emergency responders to rapidly evaluate and treat patients who are having an acute heart attack, known as ST-elevated myocardial infarctions (STEMI), and arrange transfer to the cardiac catheter labs at Missouri Baptist, a Level I STEMI Center. The cath labs use an angioplasty balloon and a stent to open up a heart-attack-causing blockage with better results than clot-busting drugs. 

Utilizing the HLLA, emergency services and transferring hospitals are able to notify and activate the cardiac catheter lab of a patient’s impending arrival. The lab is then prepared and ready so patient can bypass the emergency room and go straight to catheterization, saving minutes and, potentially, heart muscle.

“Decreasing the time it takes to recognize and immediately treat a heart attack or cardiac arrest still remains central to survival,” HLLA medical director Dr. Stuart Higano said.

Continuous Improvement

The pursuit of excellence means we are continually working to improve care. As part of the commitment, Missouri Baptist hosts an annual Heart Center Symposium bringing together nearly 300 healthcare professionals including, emergency department physician, cardiologist, hospitalist, EMS, nurses and administrators for educational seminars and speakers.

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Heart Matters: Father-Son Heart Surgery Strengthens Bond

When the need for surgery arose, this close-knit family made the decision to travel to St. Louis for a second opinion and care at Missouri Baptist Medical Center (MoBap). However, Matt and Bill never expected to be in the hospital at the same time, much less have heart surgery on the same day.

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MoBap Celebrates 1,000 TAVR Case Milestone

On December 6, 2022, Missouri Baptist Medical Center performed its 1,000th transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

“We are proud to reach this milestone,” says Michael Mauney, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon on staff at Missouri Baptist. “MoBap was among the first medical centers in the nation to adopt this procedure following FDA approval in Fall 2011.”

TAVR is a minimally invasive procedure for replacing a stenotic (tight) aortic valve in which the aortic valve narrows, reducing blood flow from the heart to the aorta. This procedure can also replace failed artificial aortic and mitral valves. TAVR is a treatment option to be considered for those with severe aortic stenosis, including many with worn-out surgical valves.

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Washington University Heart Failure Center at Missouri Baptist

At the Washington University Heart Failure Center at Missouri Baptist, we use a team approach to develop an individualized plan of care for you to manage your disease.

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Dr. Stewart Gets a “Second Chance at Life” After Heart Attack

Todd Stewart, MD, is no stranger to critically ill patients and life-saving procedures. As a spinal neurosurgeon and chief of neurosurgery at Missouri Baptist Medical Center, it’s all in a day’s work. But it came as a shock when he suffered a life-threatening heart attack last year.

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Cardiac Testing at Missouri Baptist Medical Center

Diagnosing a heart condition often requires a combination of cardiovascular diagnostic and screening tests. These advanced tests can often determine the existence, type and severity of heart disease.

At Missouri Baptist Medical Center, our Cardiac Diagnostics Center is equipped with advanced technology and expertly trained staff to conducts these tests. Your test results will be evaluated by a board-certified cardiologist on staff at MoBap and discussed with your physician to tailor a treatment plan for your specific condition.

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Mitral Valve Replacement

When Tina needed a new mitral valve, she benefited from BJC HealthCare’s collaborative approach to care that connected her with a multidisciplinary team of heart specialists. Her journey included seamless coordination between medical teams at two BJC HealthCare facilities: Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital and Missouri Baptist Medical Center (MoBap).

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Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery Helps Tom Return to the Basketball Court

Tom Caspari thought he was too healthy to have a heart attack.

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Online Heart Health Assessment

Are you at risk for a heart attack? Learn about your risk factors with our online heart health assessment tool and find help for improving your results.

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Cardiac Surgery Center: World Class Care, Close to Home.

Missouri Baptist Medical Center continually ranks among the top hospitals for cardiac surgery in the nation. Known for exceptional heart surgery outcomes, we are one of the few programs in the U.S. to consistently receive the Society for Thoracic Surgeons' highest 3-star rating.

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Recovery is a Journey

Scott Winder had been having trouble breathing and wasn’t sleeping well. Like many people do, he dismissed the symptoms until one day at work, his suddenly racing heart, sweating and worsening breathing problems sent him to the  Emergency Department at Parkland Health Center in Farmington.

Scott walked through the doors of the emergency room and collapsed.

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Synchronizing Heart Care Offers Patient a New Lease on Life

Nathaniel (Nate) Rentz, 63, is alive today thanks to the expertise and coordinated care of medical teams at Progress West Hospital and the advanced cardiac care team at Missouri Baptist Medical Center.

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New Technology for Treating Cardiac Arrhythmias

The new technology at MoBap — robotic magnetic navigation (RMN) — introduces the benefits of robotic precision and safety to cardiac ablation, a common, minimally invasive procedure used to treat arrhythmias

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Dr. Higano continues to follow up care with Ira.

An Alliance to Save Lives by Saving Time

On Dec. 5, 2017, 57-year-old Ira Schalk began to feel nauseous on his job at a lead mining operation near Viburnum, Mo. For days he had felt tired, but thought it might be the flu. It wasn’t.

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Heart Valve Surgery Gives New Lease on Life

Looking forward to resuming their active lifestyle in 2022, Connie and Arlin have two trips planned early in the year. Connie said that her heart surgery has given her a new lease on life. "Every time I'm at Missouri Baptist, I feel cared for, listened to and taken seriously. I always tell people that if you have heart problems, go to MoBap."

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Her Heart Health

A woman's heart is different. Many women may not experience chest pain. Their warning signs are non-specific and often easily overlooked. 

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Living (Well) With Congestive Heart Failure

Follow these tips to live a healthier life with congestive heart failure.

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Heart LifeLine Alliance

As a leader in heart care, Missouri Baptist Medical Center’s cardiac specialists partner with rural hospitals and medical helicopter and ambulance services to offer the region’s leading heart attack network, saving heart muscle and lives.

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Mending Hearts

Tracy Pick and her mom, Betty Mesplay, are no strangers to heart procedures. But this time the mother-daughter duo would be going through recovery together.

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Recipes for Your Health

Tasted, tested and analyzed by dietitians at Missouri Baptist Medical Center

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Heart Health Tips

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.  There are several risk factors that contribute to heart disease.  Some risk factors, including gender, age and family history are uncontrollable, while other risk factors can be modified with lifestyle changes.  Learn how you can make changes to improve your heart health.

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Did You Know?

As the COVID-19 vaccine becomes more widely available, many people wonder whether it's right for them. BJC HealthCare wants you to have the information you need to make the right decision for yourself and your loved ones.

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Melissa and Chris post on the sofa with family photos all around.

Early Intervention Makes the Difference

Melissa Ham’s voice is still a little shaky when she recalls being told that her husband, Chris, had about a 1-in-3 chance of surviving the heart attack that occurred at their home on July 13, 2016.

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An Unexpected Journey of the Heart

When it came time for LaTisha (Tish) Smith of Belleville, Ill., to tell her family that she was having surgery, the hardest conversation was with her 9-year-old son, Lee.

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Understanding Arrhythmia

We want to help you understand everything there is to know about arrhythmia, why they occur, how they are diagnosed and treated, and what options may be right for you.

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