Health: New Research Says The Best Place To Have A Heart Attack Is Not In A Hospital

By Stephanie Stahl

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The best place to have a heart attack  is not in a hospital, according to  new research. The new study published in JAMA found that people who were already hospitalized were more likely to die from a heart attack than people who had a heart attack outside the hospital. One of the researchers, Dr. Prashant Kaul with the University of North Carolina said, "If they're in a hospital, they should be much better off if they do happen to have a heart attack."

The research  analyzed data from 62,000 patients who had heart attacks caused by a sudden and completely blocked artery. Those rushed into an emergency room were apparently treated better and faster than patients already hospitalized. "They were less likely to have an intervention they were less likely to go home and they were over three times more likely to die." Dr. Prashant said.

Patients already hospitalized tend to be sicker, and have other complications that could hinder detecting and treating a heart attack. But Dr. Prashant said, "Even after we accounted for those variables, we still did find that these patients did worse. There's a delayed recognition potentially."

The researcher says the study is a wake up call that hospitals probably need to establish new and improved measures to more effectively respond to patients having heart attacks.