The American Heart Association reports more than 356,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year in the U.S., with nearly 90% of them being fatal. With timely, crucial emergency medical treatment, many heart attack deaths may be prevented.
On average, Americans wait two hours or more before seeking medical attention for heart attack symptoms, and far too many heart attack patients drive themselves or have a family member drive them to the hospital.
During American Heart Month, HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s hospitals are working to educate communities about the importance of not delaying medical care, especially if someone is experiencing heart attack or stroke symptoms.
“Sometimes people think it will be easier to just drive themselves to the hospital when they’re experiencing heart attack symptoms – often because they don’t know for sure it really is a heart attack – but it’s far more beneficial to call 911 first,” says HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s hospitals’ Trauma Coordinator, Tyler Bowe. “Emergency personnel will get to you faster and safer than driving yourself.”
Bowe says getting treatment as quickly as possible may mean the difference between irreversible heart damage or a treatable condition, possibly even life or death. “Dialing 911 without delay means treatment begins the moment emergency responders arrive.”
