Hey, tough guy: It’s OK to call 911 if you think you’re having a heart attack. In fact, it can help you save precious heart muscle and lower your chances of death. But, as the WSJ’s Ron Winslow points out in this morning’s paper, a recent study in Minnesota found that only 37% of rural men who were having heart attacks arrived at the hospital in an ambulance. The rest drove themselves or got a ride from a friend or family member. Women with heart attacks did slightly better but still not great– 49% of them came by ambulance. Join discussion...

More patients are getting life-saving treatment quickly after a heart attack, according to a national survey. An audit by the Royal College of Physicians showed 64% of patients in England and 41% in Wales were given "clot-busting" drugs within an hour. This is a rise of six percent and 11% respectively over 12 months. Overall, heart attack death rates have fallen, with 12 fewer deaths per 1,000 heart attacks, but the report stressed there was still room for improvement. Join discussion...

A $2.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will help researchers at the Methodist DeBakey Heart Center identify how weight loss and lifestyle changes affect the risk for heart disease in obese and diabetic patients, a rapidly-growing group in America. Although diet, exercise and weight loss are recommended by many national organizations, no clinical trials have shown a significant reduction in cardiovascular events due specifically to weight loss. Join discussion...