STATE HEART-HEALTH EXPERTS ISSUE JOINT CALL TO ACTION

For Immediate Release:
January 6, 2003

Contact:
Linda Powell, Assistant Program Manager
Missouri Cardiovascular Health Program
(800) 316-0935

OR

Kimberly Dampier, Health Initiatives Specialist
American Heart Association - Heartland Affiliate
(800) 323-7883

Health Department, Heart Association Officials Hope to Turn Deadly Trend Around

(Jefferson City, Mo.) - Officials from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services' Cardiovascular Health Program (CVH) and the American Heart Association (AHA) today cited alarming delays in the treatment of heart attack and called on Missourians to recognize the need for speed in calling 9-1-1 in a cardiac emergency.

The group also urged physicians to educate their patients about heart attack and its warning signs, citing a National Institutes of Health statistic that only 1 in 5 patients gets to the hospital emergency department soon enough to benefit from special heart attack treatments. Nationwide, a delay in seeking medical treatment is a key factor in the nearly one-half million heart attack deaths in the U.S. each year.

"It is critical that Missourians recognize the signs of a heart attack and take immediate action by calling 9-1-1," said Linda Powell, CVH Assistant Program Manager. "If a patient waits too long, they could miss out on thrombolytic (clot-buster) therapy or die before reaching the hospital."

Powell also stressed the importance of Missourians developing a cardiac emergency action plan - that plan should include learning which hospitals offer angioplasty services and clot-buster therapy in addition to recognizing the warning signs of a heart attack and immediately calling 9-1-1.

Some hospitals, especially in rural Missouri, do not offer specialized heart treatments," said Powell. "It's important for ambulance service physician medical directors to recognize the importance of transporting a cardiac patient to the appropriate facility."

According to the American Heart Association, clot busting drugs and other artery-opening treatments work best within the first hour of a heart attack. Acting fast can prevent serious heart damage or death.

Call For an Ambulance - Don't Risk Taking a Private Vehicle

Every community in Missouri has access to emergency ambulance services, and it is critical to use that resource in a cardiac emergency. In addition to bringing medical care to the patient, they can also get a person to the hospital faster and safer, they can re-start the heart with special equipment and in most cases they have access to special drugs.

"Many times, a person is worried that their condition may not be serious, or that they can get to the hospital faster in a private vehicle. When in doubt, call for an ambulance, and never risk taking a sick patient to the hospital in a private vehicle," added Powell.

Powell also stressed the importance of immediately calling 9-1-1 in a cardiac emergency. If your community does not have the 9-1-1 service, call your area's designated emergency number.

Signs of a Heart Attack

One reason people wait before getting help is that they do not realize they are having a heart attack because their symptoms do not match the sudden crushing chest pain depicted in the movies - the so-called "Hollywood heart attack."

"The reality," says Powell, "is that many life-threatening heart attacks are much quieter, causing only mild pain or discomfort."

The American Heart Association and the Missouri Cardiovascular Health Program list the following as signs of a heart attack:

• Chest discomfort: Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body: Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath: This feeling often comes along with chest discomfort, but can occur before the chest discomfort.
• Other signs: These may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
  

"Cardiac arrest strikes immediately and without warning," said Powell. "Signs of a cardiac arrest include a sudden loss of responsiveness, no response to gentle shaking, no movement or coughing and no normal breathing. If a patient exhibits these signs, call 9-1-1 first and then start CPR."

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* A small number of communities in Missouri do not have 9-1-1 services. In these communities, a person should call their area's designated emergency medical service telephone number.

Other Resources

Missouri Cardiovascular Health Program
www.dhss.state.mo.us/cardiovascular

American Heart Association
www.americanheart.org