People risking irreversible heart damage over concerns about busy emergency departments
Heart doctors in New Zealand are warning that patients are delaying seeking urgent care for heart attack symptoms due to fears of busy emergency departments, leading to irreversible heart damage. This comes as EDs have been overwhelmed by high flu hospitalizations, and health authorities have advised reserving emergency care for genuine emergencies.
Why it matters
Delays in treating heart attacks can cause permanent damage or death, highlighting a critical public health issue where system strain is inadvertently deterring life-saving medical attention.
Heart doctors say some patients are delaying care and damaging their hearts because they are worried about busy emergency departments .
They are urging anyone with chest pains or heart attack symptoms to get urgent medical help - particularly if the symptoms last more than 10 minutes.
Many emergency departments had been overwhelmed by patients this winter as flu hospitalisations hit a 10-year-high in some places.
Are you a nurse, doctor or paramedic working on the front lines? New Zealand's health system is responding to its highest levels of demand in recent years, with patient levels above historic winter levels, long wait times, along with bed and staffing shortages. We want to hear from those who are in the thick of it. If you have a story to share, email iwitness@rnz.co.nz - anonymity can be offered.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in