Having a heart attack can be a frightening experience. The majority of heart attacks occur outside of a hospital setting and the more tools first responders have to lessen the effects of cardiac events, the better off patients are in terms of survival. Although aspirin has long been recognized as beneficial in those first few minutes of a heart attack, researchers have discovered another inexpensive intervention that may improve survival rates and decrease heart muscle damage.
A Simple Injection
In a study presented to the American College of Cardiology, researchers revealed that giving heart attack patients an injection solution of potassium, glucose and insulin significantly improved patient outcomes. It was found that at least half of the patients given this injection were prevented from going into full cardiac arrest, which often results in the heart stopping completely or death.
Additionally, the injection also helped reduce the level of damage to heart muscle to approximately 2 percent. For patients not receiving the injection, as much as 10 percent of heart damage occurs with a heart attack.
In addition to the improved survival rates and outcomes for heart attack patients, the treatment can be administered immediately in the field, eliminating the need to wait for transportation to the hospital and a confirming diagnosis, which can take hours and result in even more heart damage.
With an inexpensive price tag of about $50 per treatment, the early injection could save thousands of lives every year. Since the majority of heart attacks occur away from the hospital, having this injection onboard every ambulance and rescue vehicle seems like a good idea, to say the least.
– The Alternative Daily
