If you think you are having a heart attack, call the ambulance!
November 8th, 2007 | by Timothy Kintzel, M.D. |
A recent study in the British Medical Journal reported that in cases of cardiac chest pain (pain found to be coming from a blockage in the heart’s arteries), the single most significant delay in getting proper treatment is the time it takes for patients to seek help. This accounts for up to 75% of the total delay before treatment. Ambulance transport remains the most effective and reliable means of transport to the hospital - and they are usually equipped with defibrillators which are key in saving people with heart attack-induced rhythm disturbances. However, despite this fact, 1/2 of all patients with heart attacks do not use emergency transport.
The authors recommend that health care providers concentrate on educating at-risk patients with the importance of recognizing cardiac chest pain and to call EMS instead of driving themselves to the hospital, consulting primary medical providers, and or calling medical help lines.
Reference: Roberts WT, Timmis AD, BMJ. 2007 Sep 29;335(7621):669
Tags: Ambulance, Arrhythmia, Chest Pain, Emergencies, EMS, Heart Attack, Myocardial Infarction