Do Not Neglect Signs of Heart Attack or Stroke Due to COVID-19 Crisis

People experiencing a heart attack or stroke symptoms are ignoring life-threatening signs due to fear of contracting COVID-19. Hence a new study advises them not to ignore the symptoms. //

Many hospitals across the country have noticed an increase of people ignoring life-threatening symptoms. They are choosing to stay home instead of seeking care at an emergency department. When they do arrive at the hospital, the patient has lost critical time to receive life-saving treatments, the hospital said in a statement.

What is a Heart Attack | How to Prevent Heart Attacks - Myocardial Infarction Smoking
Heart attack is the death of the heart muscle due to loss of blood supply. Simple guidelines to avoid heart attack are listed.

‘Fear of COVID-19 is keeping heart attack and stroke patients away from hospitals. Due to this, patients present too late to benefit from life-saving treatments. ’

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This is especially true for people experiencing a heart attack or stroke, the hospital said, citing a study out of Seattle that showed emergency admissions fell between 10 and 20 percent at six large hospitals in February and March.

“Heart attack symptoms should never be ignored,” said Joseph Parrillo, M.D, Cardiologist and Chairman of the Heart and Vascular Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center. “Heart muscle dies when the blood flow is restricted for too long. In the event that the heart attack puts you into cardiac arrest, there’s a small window of time that medical professionals can get your heart beating again.”

“Likewise, when it comes to treating a stroke, every minute matters. We often say time is the brain as it’s critical to seek care immediately because the longer your brain is without oxygen, the higher your chances for disability or death when experiencing a stroke,” said Martin Gizzi, M.D, Neurologist and Director of the Cerebrovascular Diseases Program at Hackensack University Medical Center.

Heart Attack - Overview
Heart attack is the death of the heart muscle due to loss of blood supply. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Other names for heart attack include acute myocardial infarction, coronary thrombosis, and coronary occlusion.

“If someone is having a major stroke and it is caught in time, we can provide treatment that can recover function almost immediately, but if you wait too long, those deficits become permanent.”

According to the hospital, following are emergent warning signs that should never be ignored:

Stroke – Early Warning Signs - Risk Factor - Rehab - Treatment
Stroke can cause permanent disability and it is important to recognize its early warning signs to stop its progress. Early warning signs of stroke include sudden weakness of facial muscles.

Stroke

Balance issues
Vision problems
Facial drooping
Arm weakness
Speech difficulty

Heart attack

Chest discomfort – pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain
Discomfort in other areas of the upper body like the arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach
Shortness of breath
Other signs including cold sweats, nausea or lightheadedness

Source-Newswise

How to Deal with a Stroke - Signs - Symptoms - Risk Factors - Prevention
Stroke is a brain attack, which occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted. It affects all age groups; according to the WHO, 15 million people are affected by stroke annually.