NEW APPROACH TO HEART ATTACKS CALL 911 PARAMEDICS WHEN IT COMES TO A POSSIBLE HEART ATTACK TIME IS PRECIOUS DONT WAIT FOR COUSIN SHIRLEY TO DRIVE YOU

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A Study Says People With Possible Heart Attacks DO Better When They Call Emergency Paramedics

How can you tell if you are having a heart attack? You can't. Chest pain, sweating, weakness are all signs of a heart attack but they may or may not be present.Some people especially those with diabetes may have blunted symptoms even if they have a heart attack. It is always better to get immediate medical care with chest pain. Do not wait. Research by Dr. Ivan C. Rokos, assistant clinical professor of emergency medicine at UCLA Medical Center, shows that heart attack victims have a better chance of survival if they call paramedics than if they are transported to medical facility by an acquaintance or family member.




"If you live in Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange or San Diego county and think you are having a heart attack, call 911 rather than have a friend or family member drive you to the hospital. It could mean the difference between life and death. Currently,only about half of all heart attack victims arrive at hospitals by ambulance. When patients walk into emergency rooms on their own, long waits can delay diagnosis and treatment, health officials say".






"By outfitting ambulances with devices that allow paramedics to more quickly diagnose serious heart attacks and call ahead to hospitals equipped to perform a specialized procedure, the protocol has sharply reduced the time it takes for patients to receive life-saving treatment, officials said".



"Before Orange County implemented the protocol, patients often waited two hours or more for treatment, said Dr. Samuel Stratton, medical director of Orange County's Emergency Medical Services. Now,all ambulances have been equipped with upgraded electrocardiogram machines and patients in need of the procedure are taken only to hospitals staffed to perform it 24 hours a day".



"Results are promising. Stratton said he is convinced that mortality rates have dropped in Orange County since the protocol was implemented in 2005, but didn't have comparative statistics. Also, many patients in Orange County are now sent home within three to five days, rather than seven to 10 days, Stratton said.The largest hurdle counties now face, Rokos said, is educating the public to call 911 when a heart attack is suspected."The paramedics can provide you with one-on-one concierge service," Rokos said. "If you go into the emergency department, you're fighting off the masses.""

911 is best call to make if heart attack strikes