Timing is everything

It's scary, but it's true: Heart attacks at night have worst survival rates: study. Timing is everything.

Researchers in Richmond, VA, undertook a study to determine if when a person had a heart attack would determine the outcome. The (realistic) nurse in me said "yes," right away. During the week, during standards work hours, there are more people around to notice things, do things, and react. Everything is done more quickly, so it would stand to reason that the care - although may be excellent - during off hours, could be slower and perhaps affect outcome.

Published today in JAMA, the researchers said, "Researchers also found that survival to discharge at night during the week was similar to weekends (14.6 per cent versus 14.8 per cent). Conversely, survival during the day/evening weekdays was 20.6 per cent — considerably higher than on weekends at 17.4 per cent."

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Heart attacks at night have worst survival rates: study