For individuals experiencing a heart attack, delays in getting to the hospital can have life-threatening consequences.
For individuals experiencing a heart attack, delays in getting to the hospital can have life-threatening consequences. A new study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that certain factors—non-white race, atypical symptoms, and heart failure—are linked with such delays in older individuals.
The study included 2500 patients aged 75 or older hospitalized for heart attack. Pre-hospital delay (six or more hours before getting to the hospital) was much more common (42%) than in studies of younger heart attack populations, in whom the reported prevalence ranges from 20% to 25%.
“Delays in presentation can have huge consequences for older adults with heart attacks. Based on the results of our study, we need to develop better clinical and public health strategies to ensure timely presentation, especially among non-white communities, those with atypical symptoms, and those with heart failure,” said lead author Dr. Gregory Ouellet, of Yale University.
Additional Information
Link to Study: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.15102/full
About Journal
Included in more than 9,000 library collections around the world, JAGS is the go-to journal for clinical aging research. We provide a diverse, interprofessional community of healthcare professionals with the latest insights on geriatrics education, clinical practice, and public policy—all supporting the high-quality, person-centered care essential to our well-being as we age.
Our rigorous peer-review process ensures that we bring healthcare professionals, older adults, and caregivers research with the potential to impact public policy and geriatrics care today—and tomorrow. Since the publication of our first edition in 1953, JAGS has remained one of the oldest and most impactful journals dedicated exclusively to gerontology and geriatrics.
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