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HEALTH WAVES: Don’t avoid ER for fear of COVID-19

Florida Times-Union
Jun 22, 2020

Hospitals throughout the country and locally are seeing a significant decline in emergency room visits, and many physicians believe that fear of contracting coronavirus could be why. The result could be detrimental for patients who need emergency medical care for conditions such as heart attacks, strokes and other urgent needs.

"Many people are worried that they will be exposed to COVID-19, which has caused some to delay care when they really need it," said Glen Martin, MD, an anesthesiologist and chief of staff for Baptist Medical Center Beaches.

"We have seen fewer patients at Baptist Beaches ER in the past few weeks," Dr. Martin said. "It's especially concerning that we've had a dramatic decline in patients coming in with conditions such as heart attacks, sepsis (a life-threatening infection), strokes, and acute abdominal conditions such as appendicitis. We know these medical situations are still happening, so my worry is that patients are not coming in when they really need to."

Heed warning signs

According to Martin, symptoms of a heart attack, a medical emergency, should not be ignored. They may include:

Chest discomfort. "It can be chest pressure, heaviness or tightness that can sometimes feel like something sitting on your chest," said Martin.Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomachShortness of breath, with or without chest discomfortBreaking out into a cold sweat, nausea, vomiting or lightheadedness"Heart disease is still the No. 1 killer in the world, even with the COVID-19 pandemic," said Martin. "Although you should try to avoid exposure to COVID-19, Baptist Beaches is prepared to safely evaluate and treat patients who come in for cardiac issues. The alternative may be that people may die at home or suffer more significant events if a heart attack isn't treated quickly."'

Likewise, there are some signs of stroke to be on the lookout for. Martin recommends that people remember the acronym, BE FAST:

B -- Balance: Is there a sudden loss of balance or coordination?

E -- Eyes: Is there sudden vision loss, persistent blurred vision and/or sudden trouble seeing?

F -- Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A -- Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

S -- Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred, strange, or are they unable to speak?

T -- Time: If you observe any of these signs call 911 immediately.

"If you have any symptoms of a stroke or sudden onset of headache, you should seek emergency medical care," Martin said. "Please don't ignore these symptoms. This could be the difference between life and death or a life with a disability. The faster you seek care, the better your chances for treatment and recovery.

"People need to know that Baptist Beaches and all of our Baptist locations are willing, ready and able to see them in a safe manner and that we have the capability to care for them without exposing them to risk of infection with the processes we have had and continue to have in place."

EDITOR'S NOTE: The photo accompanying the print edition of this story, which ran on May 23, contained an incorrect photo. The correct photo of Dr. Martin appears here.

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