Written by Mercy's Ellis Kmetzsch
Local resident Sharon Roberts is a mom and grandmother who loves to dance and spend time with her family. When a heart test flagged a potential problem in November 2023, Roberts visited Mercy Hospital Ada’s new cardiac catheterization lab. After a brief procedure, she is back to doing what she loves with less worry about her heart health.
“My heart rate started to get really low, and I was afraid I was going to go to sleep and never wake up,” said Roberts. “Heart issues are scary. You only have one heart, and if anything goes wrong, it’s the end of you. That’s why I ended up doing the cardiac stress test last year.”
Roberts’ test results flagged a potential heart problem that required further follow-up from Mercy Hospital Ada’s cardiac team. Initially, she was reluctant to visit the new services.
“To be honest, I was thinking of trying to find someone outside of Ada because I was worried Mercy didn’t have the resources needed to treat my problem,” said Roberts. “Then, once I got there, they made me feel so comfortable, and I knew I was in good hands.”
The cath lab team performed a brief procedure to check Roberts for disease by going through a vein in her wrist to check on her heart. Fortunately, they found no evidence of disease requiring further treatment, bringing Roberts the reassurance she needed.
“Everyone was so professional, it felt like a family who’d known each other for years,” Roberts said. “After my experience, I wouldn’t hesitate to send my family and friends to this team.”
Mercy’s cardiac cath lab opened in December 2023 to serve people in need of emergency heart care in southern Oklahoma. The team is made up of a group of interventional cardiologists who staff the unit around the clock to provide emergency heart care. These services are in addition to existing cardiology and cardiopulmonary rehab programs at Mercy Hospital Ada.
“It’s really critical that people know these services are available for their heart needs right here in Ada,” said Dr. Payman Sattar, interventional cardiologist at Mercy Hospital Ada. “Our team is highly qualified to treat life-threatening illnesses, and we hope patients will trust us with their care.”
For Roberts, her heart issues were examined and resolved by the cath lab team, allowing her to get back to normal life and dancing.
“I was the team’s main focus when I was a patient, which brought me peace of mind,” said Roberts. “In a bigger facility, you might not get the one-on-one attention I received at Mercy Ada. It’s great we have these kinds of services available now locally.”
Learn more about the cardiac cath lab team here.
