New heart attack test speeds treatment in the Emergency Room.*
“Every year over 800,000 Americans have a heart attack,”
Jesse Slome, director of the American Association of Critical Illness Insurance
New heart attack test can relieve Emergency Room stress
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found that highly sensitive blood tests can determine if someone is having a heart attack.
Someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds in the United States. “Every year over 800,000 Americans have a heart attack,” shares Jesse Slome, director of the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. “Three-fourths of those are first time heart attacks.”
Chest pain is the most common reason for trips to the emergency room. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chest pain accounts for seven million annual ER visits. Emergency room (ER) overcrowding and fear of visits could hinder people from going to get their chest pain diagnosed. It could also extend the amount of the time someone sits in the ER being exposed to COVID-19 carriers.
“Patients are more reluctant to come to the ER with heart-related symptoms during the COVID-19 outbreak,” says cardiologist Rebecca Vigen, M.D., assistant professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern.
The research team led found that a new heart attack test protocol. It can improve efficiency in the ER. The benefit is quickly determining which patients are not having a heart attack. The protocol uses high sensitivity cardiac troponin testing. Troponins are proteins released when the heart muscle has been damaged.
“Our innovative strategy allowed us to ‘rule out’ heart attacks within one hour in more than half of the patients who were tested. This process is safe and improves the efficiency of evaluating patients with possible heart attacks,” says James de Lemos, M.D., professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern and co-author of the study.
90 percent survive a heart attack
“You are likely to survive a heart attack. But you will take time off from work to recover,” Slome shares. “How will you pay rent or your mortgage?” A Harvard report shares that 90 percent survive heart attacks.
A modest critical illness insurance policy can provide $10,000 to as much as $25,000 immediately following a qualifying heart attack diagnosis. “Use the money to pay for health care and recovery costs not covered by your health insurance,” Slome notes. Use the Association’s instant Cost Calculator to see estimates for costs.
According to the Science Digest report, the new protocol was first implemented in December 2017. Testing took place at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, and then in October 2018 at UT Southwestern’s William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital.
The study included 31,543 emergency room patients at Parkland from Jan. 1, 2017, to Oct. 16, 2018. Their mean age was 54, the population was racially and ethnically diverse, and 48 percent were women.
Tips for heart attacks and critical illness insurance planning
First of all, the Association recommends all men and women over 40 read more about what is critical illness insurance?
Secondly, use the Association’s instant critical illness insurance cost calculator to see an instant estimate of costs for cancer-only insurance coverage.
Thirdly, heart attack is only one health risk. At younger ages learn the benefits of an affordable cancer insurance option.
Fourthly, read tips to better compare critical illness insurance coverage. Significantly there are differences between policies. Therefore the helpful tips can save you money.
* Science Digest, April 22, 2020
Equally important, here are additional tips for consumers.
Firstly, learn more about long-term care insurance if you are between 50 and 60. Visit the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance website for information.
Secondly, adults turning 65 can find Local Medicare Agents using the American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance‘s free online lookup.
Thirdly, learn about stroke signs and symptoms.
Fourthly, learn more about cancer risks.
Finally, try to live a more healthy lifestyle. Undeniably it’s the most important thing you can do.
