Early Heart Attack Care

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

On December 6, 2022, Missouri Baptist Medical Center performed its 1,000^th 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

Did you know that heart attacks have beginnings and these beginning signs occur in more than half of all heart attack patients? Learn the important early signs and symptoms.

The transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure allows a team of cardiologists and cardiac surgeons to insert a new valve inside a diseased valve without open heart surgery. The new valve is put in place through a catheter that is inserted through the groin or between the ribs. 

At the Arrhythmia Center at Missouri Baptist Medical Center, we want to help you understand everything there is to know about arrhythmia, especially finding the right treatment just for you. Our goal is to keep you and your heart healthy.

Everybody suffers occasionally from not getting enough sleep. But a lack of sleep can do more than just make you feel tired the next day. Chronic sleep problems can be a contributing factor to more serious health problems.

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.

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.

In 2008, cardiologists at Missouri Baptist Medical Center developed the Heart LifeLine Alliance in partnership with rural hospitals, medical helicopter and ambulance services.

Knowing the warning signs of a heart attack can make a big difference. The faster someone having a heart attack can get care, the better the outcomes.

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

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

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.

Cardiac surgeons at MoBap talk about valve disease and new treatment methods, including minimally invasive surgery.

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."

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.