As COVID-19 cases continue to increase and strain emergency departments nationwide, a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) suggests emergency room visits in April were down 42 percent compared to the same period last year. Yet, heart attacks and strokes haven’t stopped for COVID-19.
While some might fear utilizing emergency medical services during this pandemic, The American Heart Association and UR Medicine assure that people can receive safe care for heart attack or stroke symptoms, and other urgent medical needs, in hospitals. They say the best chance to survive an acute event is to call 9-1-1 and get an ambulance to the hospital where they’re fully prepared to treat you safely. Hospitals are still the safest place to be during a medical emergency.
“When it comes to surviving a heart attack or a stroke, seconds count, so delays in treatment can have a significant impact in terms potential irreversible damage to the heart muscle and brain, quality of life and certainly potential death,” said Marc Natale, Executive Director, Rochester AHA/ASA.
“Medical emergencies require immediate care, and any delay could be life-threatening. Hospitals are changing how we provide care, and safety is at the forefront of everything we do,” said Michael Apostolakos, M.D., chief medical officer at UR Medicine’s Strong Memorial and Highland hospitals.
For more information and community resources, visit www.heart.org/dontdieofdoubt.
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