How choosing the right emergency service can form the difference between life & death?

In a country where millions die of heart attack, over 2,00,000 die in road accidents & thousands in rail fatalities every year, the right emergency medical service can form the difference between life & death . In a series talking about the casualties that plague our country, we would be sharing the symptoms, first aid measures & the features in the modern day Ambulance that would offset a certain disaster.

Research suggests that India tops the list in terms of heart related diseases with South India region in the lead. In Mumbai, Heart ailments and heart attacks topped the BMC's list of top 10 killer diseases for 2011, the sixth consecutive year that they have occupied the slot. Thus, understanding how to tackle this disease might be the key to survival.

"Time is tissue," the saying goes, and that means the sooner the person gets help, the less damage there is to heart tissue. Taking the necessary course of action post any medical emergency can maximize the chances of recovery.

Symptoms: If someone is complaining about chest pain, upper-arm discomfort, shortness of breath, nausea, light-headedness or is breaking out in a cold sweat, it may mean a heart attack. If this happens, it is crucial that you contact Emergency Medical  Response Services (EMS) as soon as possible.

Getting equipped with the knowledge of First Aid and providing the much needed medical aid can be very useful in our daily lives in handling any medical scenario.

In any emergency disaster the first few minutes are called the golden hour as that time is the crucial moment  which forms the difference in life and death. At that time First Respondent who is equipped with basic First Aid training can do justice before the fully equipped Ambulance arrives to take charge of the situation.

Having the right trainer and the right mix of syllabus as per individual’s/organization’s accordance is doing wonders.

Off late the First Aid training is not only gaining momentum amongst medical fraternity but colleges, corporate and NGOs are acquiring this knowledge from professionals.

In an Ambulance, paramedics monitor and care for the patient while en route. And when those patients arrive in the emergency room, they're more likely to be treated sooner.

Real-time monitoring of patients medical data signs from a moving Ambulance continuously can mean a world of difference between life and death.

To compensate for potentially long travel time to the nearest hospital, the Ambulance medical team often establish a diagnosis and get expert medical assistance on the way to the hospital.

This solution will integrate multi-parameter monitors in Ambulances and provide a solution that allows specialists to continuously monitor vital signs in real-time from critically ill patients from a moving  Ambulance using wireless connectivity* and thereby providing immediate medical assistance during the golden hour.

The author Dr.  Vijay Kumar Reddy is an expert and veteran in Emergency Medical Response Services & is the Head –Pre Hospital Care of Ziqitza Health Care Limited, pioneer in the field of Emergency Medical Response Services