Man treated his own heart attack in the lonely wilderness

Heart attack self-treatment raises worldwide interest

Western Australia covers more than 2.5 million square kilometers and is sparsely populated. The health care of local people is a constant challenge here. A 44-year-old man worked in the area as the only duty man in the infirmary of Coral Bay, 150 kilometers from the nearest hospital. Suddenly, the paramedic's chest pain and dizziness appeared-the signs of a heart attack. With no other medical personnel nearby, the man now had to act quickly to survive.

The paramedic performed an electrocardiogram (ECG) on himself and found a complete cardiac arrest. He sent the data via the "Emergency Telehealth Service (ETS)" to an ambulance. This service has been specially designed for remote emergency rooms that do not have specialist doctors on site. An emergency doctor responded via video chat and supported the man to initiate life-saving measures himself. Without further ado, the paramedic injects drugs for blood thinning and blood clots in both arms and attached himself to a defibrillator. He then took medication for cardiac arrhythmias.

A 44-year-old paramedic successfully treated his own heart attack while working as a single duty officer in an emergency ward in an isolated area of ​​Western Australia. (Image: Sonja Calovini / fotolia.com)

Life-saving measures

The medicament cocktail the paramedic injected consisted of aspirin, clopidogrel (a drug that interferes with blood clotting), nitroglycerin (used to lower blood pressure), heparin for anticoagulation, and opiates for pain relief. In addition, he performed thrombolysis with tenecteplase. This is a medical therapy for occlusions of blood vessels. He attached defibrillator pads to the chest and was given adrenaline, atropine and amiodarone for cardiac arrhythmias. Then it finally came to the resolution of the blockade. The man saved his life.

By plane to the hospital

Some time later, with the help of the "Royal Flying Doctor Service", the patient was transferred to a cardiology department in Perth, 1000 kilometers away. There he was a stent used. After further treatment, the man was finally released home 48 hours later, where he continued his medical treatment.

High personal initiative and the video service saved his life

The ETS system was introduced in 2012 by the Western Australian Ministry of Health to improve medical care in isolated areas. This system is intended to facilitate diagnosis and treatment without a specialist being physically present. It can also be used for education and training. The introduction of this service has improved the provision and accessibility of health care in this area.

This is how to recognize a heart attack

"Chest pressure, burning in the neck, in the left arm or upper abdomen, unexpected sweating, difficulty breathing, feeling weak and dizzy - anyone who has these symptoms should consult a doctor immediately, as it could be a heart attack," explains Drs. Cindy Grines, Chair of Cardiology at North Shore University Hospital, New York.

The case ensures worldwide interest

Physician Felicity Lee and her colleagues at the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, who treated the patient, published a report on the case in the New England Journal of Medicine, which attracted worldwide attention. Dr. However, Cindy Grines warns against imitation: "Do not try to learn how to treat yourself with a You Tube video," the expert commented on the report. Heart disease is still the leading cause of death and, according to Dr. Grines specialized supply. Self-treatment of myocardial infarction can not be considered medically appropriate if another option is available.

The paramedic had a lot of experience

"This gentleman used his first aid material with him and essentially treated himself with the same medical strategy that we would use in the hospital," explains Dr. Satjit Bhusri, cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. This is a unique case. Lay people should best leave the treatment of heart attacks to the professionals.

Knowing heart attack symptoms is important to yourself and others

Bhusri stresses how important it is to get help quickly by all means necessary in such situations. "It's also important to know the signs and symptoms of heart attack and to know the basics of life support. Not just for yourself, but for others too ", the expert continues. (Vb)