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It is common knowledge that most businesses are either closed or offer a skeleton service on the weekends. While in most businesses this would not have a life or death implication, in the healthcare business, this could have deadly consequences.
This has recently been shown to be the case through a research conducted by Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey, USA. Data on almost 60,000 heart attack admissions over a 14-year period was analysed and it was determined that people admitted to hospitals on Saturdays and Sundays had a higher death rate compared to people who had heart attacks on weekdays. Although the exact reason for this difference may have to be scientifically further established, one of the attributed reason was the absence of certain services in the hospitals during the weekends including the ability to perform angioplasties (clearing a blockage responsible for heart attacks by deploying catheters with balloons).
While this information may provide incentive for readers in USA to enquire into the scope of services offered in hospitals near their place of residence or work, for readers in India, the problems may be more acute and slightly different. Even though the healthcare access, scope and quality of services for heart attack victims are improving in India, much improvement is still required. Lack of qualified and skilled personnel still plagues many hospitals in India. Except for a few specialised centres in major cities, timely access to facilities that can offer the use of thrombolytics (clot busters) for heart attacks is still grossly inadequate. The difficult road traffic conditions and lack of an effective ambulance system, increases the difficulty of gaining timely access to a good facility.
Considering these factors, it may be pertinent for readers to do some homework on this critical issue. Have a plan of action should there be a need to face heart attack, for yourself, family, friend or neighbour. Know the location of a good local hospital and an easy route of access both near your residence and your place of work. Enquire about the scope of services offered in that facility and make an effort to find out if the hospital offers the same services on Saturdays and Sundays. Enquire if they offer ambulance services.
Try and select a good and compassionate doctor in a chosen facility to have your routine medical needs met. This way, your medical information will all be available readily should you have the need to get emergent medical care, including for a heart attack. Have a 325mg aspirin tablet handy and if there is a suspicion of heart attack, take one and get somebody's attention to take you to the nearest facility. Driving by yourself to the hospital during a suspected heart attack is to be avoided.
The above is not a comprehensive plan, but, a starting point. Remember that it may be difficult to think quickly and appropriately when somebody is having a heart attack. So, it will pay to do the home work at leisure and be ready when required. In doing this, the life that you save may be your own or that of a loved one.
Dr G Balachander
Cardiologist
Illinois, USA
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