SINGAPORE: A study here has found that
patients who encounter acute heart attacks are not calling
for ambulances, resulting in a delay in receiving medical
help.
The study, the findings of which were published in
the Internal Medicine Journal last year, surveyed 252 heart attack
patients at the National University Hospital
(NUH).
The study found that only 35 per cent of
these patients used emergency medical services when
presented with symptoms of a heart attack.
Some 98 patients took their own transport to the
hospital, while another 22 per cent sought assistance from
their general practitioner (GP) first.
For those who did not call for an ambulance, the
period between the onset of symptoms and receiving medical
help was prolonged by an average of 82 minutes, according
to the study.
National University Heart Centre registrar Tan Li Ling, who led the
study, said: "There is a need to educate the public on the symptoms
of a heart attack as patients might not use the emergency medical
service when they do not recognise the symptoms."
She added that greater awareness of the benefits of using
an ambulance was needed. For instance, in the case of a
life-threatening heart attack, paramedics and equipment
like defibrillators are on hand to provide prompt treatment on the
spot, she said.
GPs TODAY spoke to said educating patients could be challenging.
For one, heart attack symptoms may not be easily recognisable. Dr
Kevin Chua of Drs Chua & Partners said: "The symptoms of a
heart attack vary and it is not clear cut. Hence, patients might
turn to their GP if they see the symptoms as something mild."
He encounters patients suffering heart attacks once every few
months and refers them to the hospital after assessing their
condition.
The researchers said the tendency to brush off symptoms could be
cultural, as the findings are in line with overseas studies which
have found that Asian patients were more likely to not call
for emergency medical help. This may also be the case when
it comes to older patients, they added.
The researchers noted some patients may assume they could
reach the hospital faster in their own cars.
However, the study would have to be expanded to be more
representative as it involved a relatively healthy group of
participants with a low mortality rate and this was not an accurate
reflection of NUH's heart attack patients, they
said.
- TODAY