In a new scientific statement, researchers suggest that people experiencing heart attacks should immediately phone the emergency services—even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
They say that instructions to ‘stay at home’ and ‘don’t come to hospital’ do not apply to patients with heart attack symptoms.
The statement was from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
The team says there are specific, lifesaving and evidence-based treatments for heart attacks but they need to be administered quickly to be most effective.
Delaying puts a patient’s life at risk, increases the damage to the heart and the risk of developing heart failure.
During the pandemic, many people with heart attack symptoms are delaying or avoiding going to the hospital for fear of getting COVID-19.
But the team says hospitals must have designated areas for heart attack patients to prevent spreading of coronavirus infection.
Heart attack symptoms include chest pain, sweating, and shortness of breath. Other warning signs are a pain in the throat, neck, back, stomach or shoulders that lasts for more than 15 minutes.
People with these symptoms need to call an ambulance straight away, even if they are self-isolating because they, or someone they live with, may have COVID-19.
The team says if you have symptoms of COVID-19 such as a high temperature or new persistent cough, tell the emergency services in advance. But get to a hospital quickly.
The lead author of the study is ESC President Professor Barbara Casadei.
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