Saskatoon doctor says many heart attack patients aren't getting help soon enough over COVID-19 fears

SASKATOON -

Heart attack patients in Saskatchewan are delaying getting medical help during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study.

Cardiologist Dr. Haissam Haddad and his team began analyzing heart attack patents at Royal University Hospital in hopes of finding themes and patterns.

The researchers studied 2,300 patients between 2019-2021.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Haddad noticed a troubling trend of patients putting off medical intervention.

Before the pandemic, Haddad found patients made contact with doctors about 3.7 hours after the onset of heart attack symptoms.

But during the pandemic, heart attack patients didn’t get help until 4.1 hours after symptoms.

While the delay may seem minor, Haddad said each minute is critical for heart attack patients.

As a result of the delay, Haddad said he has seen the death rate increase and patients experience more complications.

“When the patient presents late, then there is more damage to the heart muscle and we expect the outcomes to be worse,” Haddad told CTV News.

Haddad believes the delay is fuelled by fears of burdening the health care system or catching COVID-19.

Glenn Hilton knows just how vital it is to get early help.

In February 2010, after riding his stationary bike, Hilton felt tightness in his chest and unusual sweating.

Hilton got his friend to drive him to the hospital where he learned he was in the middle of a heart attack.

“My artery was 80 per cent blocked. In half an hour, it could have been 100 per cent and I could have died right there,” Hilton said.

“So my advice is to go [to the hospital]. Don’t hold back,” he said.

It’s a message echoed by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).

Patrice Lindsay, the director of health systems at the Heart and Stroke Foundation, urges people to seek the help they need.

“The risk of COVID is low. The risk of your condition causing you a severe negative outcome is high,” Lindsay said.

Even during a pandemic, the SHA said it “encourages” patients to access the emergency departments.