Heart Attack Deaths: AIIMS Study Finds More Than 50% Patients Died of Cardiac Arrest or Stroke As They Couldn’t Understand Seriousness and Delayed Hospital Visit

Mumbai, May 30: A recent study conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on heart attacks in the country revealed that about 55 percent of patients have not understood the seriousness of an attack which has led to their deaths. The study also revealed that only 10 percent of patients who have cardiac and stroke emergencies reach health facilities within an hour.

The new study by AIIMS which has been published in the top medical journal The Lancet has also sought to address the reasons for delays at multiple levels in reaching health facilities. As per reports, the study conducted by AIIMS was funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Artificial Intelligence Based Novel Algorithm Could Soon Help Doctors Diagnose Heart Attacks Fast and Precisely.

Speaking to NDTV, Anand Krishnan, Professor at Centre for Community Medicine at AIIMS said, “We conducted a social audit of people who died due to heart attacks or strokes in the Ballabgarh block of Haryana’s Faridabad.” Krishnan said that they wanted to understand various aspects including if and whether the patients reached a hospital in time, or what problems they faced in accessing urgent care.

Besides, the study also tried to find explanations to know what were the reasons for the delay in reaching hospitals for emergency care. Notably, the ICMR-funded study was undertaken by three departments of AIIMS including Cardiology, Neurology, and community medicine. Heart Attack Patients with Strong Legs Have Better Prognosis: Study.

What Did the New Study by AIIMS Found?

Dr Krishnan said that the study found that around 30 to 40 percent of people did not get late because of the situations they had control over. He further said that around 55 percent of the patients delayed hospital visits in order to understand what happened – whether it was a heart attack, a stroke, or non-critical pain. Professor Krishnan also said that the study revealed that the patients were confused about whether to go to the hospital or not.

The new study on heart attacks also found that around 20 to 30 percent of the people faced issues such as a vehicle, or having money for treatment, thus causing the delay. “They wanted to go immediately but faced financial or geographical access issues,” Dr Krishnan added. Women Twice Likely To Be Hospitalised Post Heart Attack Than Men, Says Study.

Patients Faced Delay in Treatments

The study also found that nearly 10 percent of people faced a delay in treatment even after reaching the hospital in time. Krishnan also said that there were issues with emergency response in hospitals. The study involving 435 deaths was conducted over a year. The study which began before COVID-19 ended towards the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Dr Krishnan also said that this is the “first study where we went into the community”.

Where Was the New Study Conducted?

The new study on heart attacks was conducted in two tehsils, Badkhal and Ballabgarh of the Faridabad district of Haryana which had an estimated population of 21 lakh in 2020-21. The study used the three-delays model in order qualitatively classify the delays in care seeking. The three delays included deciding to seek care, reaching the appropriate health facility (AHF) and initiating definitive treatment. Study Suggests CT Scan Best to Predict Middle-aged Heart Disease Risk.

Dr Krishnan also said has advised people to rush to hospitals which are fully equipped to provide immediate treatment and urgent care. He also said that all cases of chest pain, especially the one on the left side must be immediately examined by a doctor. “Not all chest pain is a heart attack, neither all heart attacks begin with chest pain. There’s no full-proof way. We should maintain a high degree of suspicion,” he said.

(The above story first appeared on Today News 24 on May 30, 2023 06:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website todaynews24.top).