San Mateo County Launches Heart Attack Awareness Campaign

The following is a news release from the San Mateo County Health System:

San Mateo County Health System and the Hospital Consortium of San Mateo County will kick off a new county-wide public awareness campaign to inform the community about the symptoms of a heart attack and the importance of immediately dialing 9-1-1 if they or a loved one experience these symptoms.

The campaign will launch at the February 10 San Mateo County Board of Supervisors meeting, where Supervisor David Pine will present a proclamation in honor of American Heart Month to Carl Nielsen, a local heart attack survivor. Brad White, general manager of American Medical Response will be demonstrating cutting-edge ambulance technology that helps emergency responders begin treating heart attack patients immediately. Daly City Fire Chief Ron Myers and Redwood City Fire Chief Jim Skinner will also be on hand to speak to the press about the importance of calling 9-1-1 at the first signs of heart attack.

WHEN: 9:00 a.m., Tuesday, February 10, 2015

WHERE: Board of Supervisors Chambers, 400 County Center, First Floor, Redwood City

BACKGROUND: The ‘Have the Signs, Press 9-1-1’ campaign will include billboards, transit and other advertising, direct public outreach as well as web and social media with an emphasis on North County, where a higher percentage of heart attack patients currently drive themselves to the hospital instead of calling 9-1-1.

When it comes to a heart attack, time is heart muscle. Calling 9-1-1 allows paramedics to quickly identify a patient’s condition, begin administering the correct treatment and transport the patient directly to the right hospital. This is especially critical for people experiencing the most serious type of heart attack, STSegment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI).

Five San Mateo County hospitals, including Seton Medical Center, Mills Peninsula Hospital, Kaiser Permanente Redwood City Medical Center, Sequoia Hospital and Stanford Hospital, are designated STEMI Centers, where specialized care is immediately available for this type of heart attack. These hospitals are also helping to get the word out as part of the ‘Have the Signs, Press 9-1-1’ campaign.

“It’s very important to call 9-1-1 at the first signs of a heart attack, which can include pain in the chest or upper body—neck, jaw, shoulder and arm—and can also include shortness of breath, nausea, sweating or dizziness,” said Dr. Gregory Gilbert, San Mateo County Emergency Medical Services Agency Medical Director. “Studies show that when patients with STEMI heart attacks call 9-1-1 and go to a STEMI hospital, their symptoms go away faster, they experience less heart damage and have better long-term health and quality of life”.

The best treatment for a heart attack is to prevent one from happening by controlling blood pressure, avoiding tobacco use, maintaining a healthy weight, lowering cholesterol levels, exercising, and, for people with diabetes, controlling sugar.

For more information, visit smchealth.org/heartattack.

(Image via Shutterstock)