Speaking at the Kyabram Probus Club’s June meeting, held at the Kyabram Club, Ms Stirling said this was partly due to low heart health knowledge, with victims either not recognising the symptoms of heart attack or being more inclined to take a “wait and see” approach.
“Some people think it’s just indigestion and will go away.
“But you shouldn’t wait any more than 10 minutes before calling an ambulance.”
“Every minute counts. The longer you wait, the more the heart muscle dies.”
Ms Stirling said symptoms such as pain, pressure, heaviness or tightness in the chest, neck, jaw, arms, shoulders or back, especially if coupled with nausea, a cold sweat, dizziness or shortness of breath, indicated that the heart wasn’t getting enough oxygen and it was imperative to get help straight away.
Ms Stirling said people were more likely to die from a heart attack if they stayed at home, rather than going straight to a hospital.
“We love driving with flashing lights and sirens,” she quipped, “so make a paramedic’s day and ring for an ambulance.”
The region also has a low rate of ambulance usage, with heart attack victims being more inclined to drive themselves to hospital.