And the key to getting fast, effective medical care is recognizing the symptoms of a heart attack and immediately seeking care, says Robin Gilbert, R.N., staff development and education coordinator for the Central Maine Medical Center Emergency Department. Information available from the American Heart Association indicates that some 13.7 million Americans have heart disease, and that 1.5 million of these people will have a heart attack this year. Perhaps the most chilling statistic, however, is one that suggests that as many as 250,000 people will die this year within one hour of experiencing the onset of a heart attack. These statistics shout out the importance of getting immediate care when the symptoms of a heart attack are recognized. With the opening of its Chest Pain ER, Central Maine Medical Center has redoubled its efforts to educate residents of the region about the importance of seeking early care for chest pain, a common symptom of a developing heart attack.
Every heart attack is individual.
The symptoms can vary from individual to individual. Minimizing the damage to the heart caused during this event, and sometimes preventing death, requires early medical intervention. By seeking care as soon as possible if a heart attack is suspected, an individual greatly increases their chance of survival while decreasing the impact of the heart attack on their overall health. Central Maine Medical Center has embarked upon an initiative to inform the public not only about heart attack symptoms and the need for seeking immediate care, but about common risk factors that can indicate that an individual is at a higher risk for developing heart disease. Such awareness is an important first step in making health and lifestyle changes that can lead to better cardiac health.