Infarction: raising public awareness
Theinfarct myocardium affects between 120 and 150 000 people each year in France. It is the result of a sudden occlusion, by a blood clot, of one of the arteries that irrigate the heart. Today, the time elapsed between the first symptoms and the arrival at the hospital is still too long. Only half of the patients are hospitalized less than four hours after their onset. However, intervening quickly to unblock this artery is vital, at the risk of seeing the heart muscle die because it can not contract.
Hence the priority for cardiologists to raise public awareness of how to deal with symptoms ofinfarct. Here are the warning signs:
- Spontaneous and prolonged chest pain in the middle of the chest that feels as if it is tight in a vice. It can also radiate the shoulders, the back, the arms and even the jaw.
- shortness of breath, discomfort, or even fainting imply a serious form of this heart attack.
Faced with such situations it is imperative to immediately call the "Samu" by dialing 15. From this speed to call for help will depend the risk of sequelae or death of the person.
The XVI European days of cardiology are currently held in Paris at the Palais des Congrès and Saturday, January 21, from 14 h 30 to 16 h 30, the public will meet specialists in Bordeaux in the Amphitheater.
For more info: www.sfcardio.fr
"The House of the Heart", French Society of Cardiology - 5 rue des Colonnes du Trône 75012 Paris
