Delay may Result in Severe Damage to Heart Muscles
- Details
- Hits: 3388
12 April 2009
Chennai, India
Delays in reaching a hospital and getting the life-saving ‘clog busters’ are the major causes of deaths due to heart attack in the country.
“The window of best opportunity (to save a patient) is the first 60 minutes. A delay of 300 minutes could mean severe damage to heart muscles, sometimes irreparable. There is an urgent need to educate people on this.”
Bangalore-based specialist Dr Denis Xavier, who was part of the study published in Lancet, says 90% of hospitals in India delays even first-aid for several reasons. “Even after the person reaches a hospital, there is an average delay of 50 minutes,” says Dr Xavier.
The study,which covered 21,000 heart-attack victims admitted in 89 hospitals in 50 cities across India, attributes poverty to delay in getting medical treatment. “The life-saving ‘clog buster’ costs only Rs 2,500,but many may not have that money ready. Several hospitals delay the administration of even first-aid till the victim pays for it,” says Dr Xavier.
According to Dr S. Thanikachalam, head of cardiac care unit at Sri Ramachandra University,nearly 40% of people die even before they reach a hospital for treatment. Last year, at least 33% of deaths in Chennai were due to cardiac diseases. More than 75% of heart attack victims are not covered by medical insurance.
Chennai-based cardiothoracic surgeon Dr KM Cherian says a majority of patients can be saved if they contact a cardiologist in time. “It’s important to meet a cardiologist within the first 15 minutes of the attack. Patients should take an aspirin in water before they call the ambulance,” he says. TNN
0
Health Professional's Negligence
Records of published articles in the newspapers helps common people about precautions to be taken while seeking the services from health professionals and also helps health professionals to rectify the negligence.read more…