FORT WORTH-Fort Worth’s Medstar paramedics are warning of a doubling of patients in full cardiac arrest by the time a call for help comes in and help arrives to patients, and a tripling of wait times before the 9-1-1 call when heart issues are suspected.
Medstar’s Matt Zavadsky notes “time is muscle”, meaning time after a heart attack without review and treatment does more damage to heart muscle than is necessary, and the wait can often mean health care workers can do nothing in response to help a patient where they are often able to provide more hope attending to such patients in a more timely manner. Zavadsky reminds us all health care workers, from paramedics to hospitals have long had streamlined entry procedures for suspected heart patients, understanding the more quickly symptoms are attended too, the more likely a positive outcome will be.
Medstar echoes what other health care providers and officials continue to stress: it is safe to be seen by paramedics and go to hospitals for health care. Zavadsky says procedures are in place to keep new patients from contracting the Covid 19 virus.
Zavadsky says data appears to indicate people are fearful of contracting the virus, and therefore waiting too long (any wait duration being too long) to make the call or otherwise seek treatment. In his words, “Don’t be scared to death!”
(Copyright, All Rights Reserved, WBAP/KLIF 2020)