Epidemiological study on cardiac emergencies in Indian states having GVK Emergency Management and Research Institute services

Abstract Background: Emergency medical service (EMS) is critical for the healthcare system as it saves lives by providing care immediately. Rapid access to medical care after a major cardiovascular event decreases morbidity and mortality. GVK Emergency Management and Research Institute (GVK EMRI) is a pioneer in emergency management services operated as a public private partnership (PPP) with various state governments. GVK EMRI coordinates medical, fire, and police-related emergencies through a single toll-free number, 108, across 15 states and 2 union territories of India. Material and Methods: This is a retrospective study of reported cases of cardiac emergencies in 2015 across 11 states with GVK EMRI services: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Assam, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand. Descriptive statistics using frequencies, proportions and means were calculated. Results and Discussion: This study aimed to describe the epidemiology of cardiac emergencies presenting to GVK EMRI across 11 states in India in 2015. There were increased cases of cardiac emergencies reported by higher age group individual across all states. The mean age was reported between 43 years to 62 years across the states. In this study, men called EMS for cardiac emergencies more often than women, except in the state of Gujarat. A higher number of cardiac emergency cases were reported by individuals living below the poverty line in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Assam, and Goa. Often (82.8%) people called 108 greater than six hours of symptom onset. Variation in call volume per day was minimal between the days of the week. At 48 hours, there were 2,675 reported deaths (1.1%). Conclusions: The current study stresses the scale and seriousness of the emerging challenge of cardiac emergencies, with particular emphasis on socioeconomic deprived groups in the operated states of GVK EMRI.