First Aid News - May 2007

Smart Emergency Treatment Cuts Heart Attack Deaths

According to a Scottish study, the administration of "smart" emergency treatment is showing a significant reduction in heart attack deaths and hospital stays. Smart treatment includes the administration of drugs that attack clots as soon as possible.

Scotland has a poor health record so far as heart attacks are concerned and its citizens could be big beneficiaries of a shift towards this form of treatment. Scotland had 10,000 heart-related deaths in 2006. Reductions in fatalities and the suffering caused are already being detected.

The prompt treatment is seen to reduce complications of follow-up treatment such as angioplasty (which involves inserting a stent to keep blocked arteries open). Possibly the prompt reversal of a clot helps to prevent more permanent damage being sustained.

To find out how best to deal with a patient undergoing a heart attack, check on ASTS's First Aid Training.