A new campaign called ‘Dial, Don’t Drive’ is telling Manitobans what to do in the event of a heart attack: ditch the car keys and call 911 for a ride.
Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Shuangbo Liu told 680 CJOB calling 911 is half the messaging in ‘Dial, Don’t Drive.’
“Our main message is for patients to know that if they need to seek help because they’re having chest pain, it is better to do it sooner rather than later,” she said.
According to Dr. Liu, recent numbers show nearly half of Manitobans are driving themselves to the hospital.
“One of the things that we don’t talk about very much is that with a very severe type of heart attack, one in 18 people will suffer a cardiac arrest so they may not make it to the hospital,” said Dr. Liu.
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“And so that’s why I think this message is so important and we are so passionate about sharing it with anyone who this may apply to.”
Dr. Liu said it’s all too common for people with heart attack symptoms to wait days before going to the hospital.
“One of the most common reasons is they didn’t want to be a bother. They didn’t want to be an embarrassment. They had other things. People depended on them. They didn’t want to waste their time. And that is really something that the ‘Dial, Don’t Drive’ campaign is going to try to change because I think that it’s important for patients know we are here for them.”
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