Save Yourself - Call 911

The Wall Street Journal recently ran an article about how to survive a heart attack. There was lots of useful information, but what really struck me was that a large number of people, in the midst of a myocardial infarction, drive themselves to the emergency room!

A heart attack happens when there is a blocked blood vessel and the affected part of the heart cannot do its job. That job might be pumping blood or it might be maintaining a steady rhythm. If the patient is lucky, the surrounding heart tissue will take over for a while – just like your work colleague will cover your phone while you take a bathroom break. But like at work: how long can one expect someone else to do the job, especially without any notice?

A lot of things can go terribly wrong very quickly if there is inadequate blood flow. If the muscle part of the heart is compromised blood will not be pushed to the vital organs. Would UPS be able to make deliveries if their trucks didn’t have fuel? If the natural pacemaker is knocked out, the very inadequate backup pacemakers will try to do the job (usually not successfully). Did you every watch a local TV newscast on a holiday evening?

Even if you manage to get to the hospital without losing consciousness, potentially killing yourself and someone else, you might be polite enough to wait your turn to check in. The clock is ticking – that blood vessel is still blocked and bad things are happening.

If you think you may be having a heart attack, save yourself! Call 911 immediately. The hospital will come to you. Paramedics will start treatment in the field (emergency-speak for wherever you are) and alert the emergency department that you are on the way. If anything bad happens, someone with training and equipment will help you. If you drive yourself, or if your spouse drives you, who is going run the defibrillator?