I’ll Drive, I’m Just Having a Heart Attack

From the Wall Street Journal's Health Blog:

Hey, tough guy: It’s OK to call 911 if you think you’re having a heart attack. In fact, it can help you save precious heart muscle and lower your chances of death.

But, as the WSJ’s Ron Winslow points out in this morning’s paper, a recent study in Minnesota found that only 37% of rural men who were having heart attacks arrived at the hospital in an ambulance. The rest drove themselves or got a ride from a friend or family member. Women with heart attacks did slightly better but still not great– 49% of them came by ambulance.