Never ignore signs of a heart attack while travelling, experts warn

Experts warn to never ignore signs of a heart attack while travelling. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is the number one cause of death among people who travel.

A new study has found getting treated early after a heart attack can potentially ensure more positive outcomes. "If you are travelling and experience heart attack symptoms, such as pain in the chest, throat, neck, back, stomach or shoulders that lasts for more than 15 minutes, call an ambulance without delay,"co-author Ryota Nishio from the Juntendo University in Japan, told a news portal.

Researchers came to this conclusion after examining the data of2,564 patients who had suffered a heart attack(between 1999 and 2015), as well as received quick treatment, which is known as a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).The team found 192 patients suffered a heart attack while travelling. These patients were also young and had ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). It is a serious type of heart attack that occurs when a major artery that is supplying blood to the heart gets blocked.

Suffering from a heart attack during a trip was linked with a 42 per cent reduced risk of long-term all-cause death."It is important that when you are over the immediate emergency phase and return home, consult your doctor to find out how you can reduce your risk of a second attack by improving your lifestyle and potentially taking preventive medication," Nishio suggested.

Deepak Khurana, a senior cardiac surgeon at Yatharth Hospital in Noida, explains what to watch out for when you are travelling, especially long distances. "Long distance travel may lead to conditions like dehydration, leg cramps, electrolyte imbalance, fatigue, motion sickness and fluid shifting due to venous blood pooling that can precipitate a CVD,"Khurana told a news portal.

The study's findings were presented at Acute Cardiovascular Care 2019 in Malaga in Spain.