The natural instinct for many people in rural areas is to jump in the car and hurry to the nearest hospital if there are signs of a heart attack. A new study from the American Heart Association shows better outcomes from calling 911, and waiting for an ambulance. A review of over 700 patients treated for a certain type of heart attack (ST-elevation myocardial infarction) in the region found that 52 percent arrived in their own cars rather than calling 911. Dr. Tomasz Stys, a cardiologist at Sanford Health says that could cause more problems…
The study also found that patients brought in by ambulance got there in an average of 26 minutes versus 38 minutes for those who drove themselves.
Stys says when a person calls 911, a whole range of care is set in motion…
Stys says every ambulance in South Dakota has updated equipment specifically to handle heart attacks…
The equipment was supplied by the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline project, which was started five years ago, and funded by an 8.4 million dollar grant from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.
