Russian Tourist Rescued after Suffering Heart Attack in Shanghai

Aleksandr (center) and his wife present a banner to the medical staff at Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine. [Photo/Shanghai Observer]

Aleksandr, a Russian tourist who suffered an acute myocardial infarction during his trip to Shanghai, was discharged from Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine on May 6 after receiving successful emergency treatment.

Around 1 am on April 29, Aleksandr experienced severe chest pain in his hotel, accompanied by profuse sweating and a sense of impending doom. The symptoms lasted for 30 minutes without relief, and his wife immediately called the accident and emergency number 120.

During the ambulance transfer, the medical staff performed an electrocardiogram (ECG), utilizing cardiac telemetry to transmit results in real time to Yueyang Hospital for preliminary assessment.

Upon receiving the alert, the hospital's heart center immediately activated its emergency response mechanism for acute myocardial infarction.

When Aleksandr arrived at the hospital, the emergency team quickly repeated the ECG, completed additional examinations, and confirmed the diagnosis of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Aleksandr subsequently lapsed into ventricular fibrillation and lost consciousness. The medical team immediately initiated advanced cardiac life support, and after targeted defibrillation and chest compressions, his heartbeat was successfully restored.

Once all preoperative preparations were completed, doctors performed an emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

During the procedure, Aleksandr experienced reperfusion arrhythmia, which was promptly managed with electrical cardioversion combined with medication. The medical team successfully reopened the occluded vessel with balloon dilation and stent implantation.