South African, 55, dies after visit to Karon clinic with chest pains

[Lite Beer]

South African, 55, dies after visit to Karon clinic with chest pains
Darawan Naknakhon

PHUKET: Police were alerted at 3pm today (June 6) that a tourist staying in Karon had died while en route to Patong hospital after he had collapsed in a Karon clinic with chest pains.

The name of the deceased, a 55-year-old heavy-set South African national, is being witheld until it can be confirmed that the man's family and embassy have been notified.

Police were told that the man, who was reportedly staying in Karon by himself, had paid a visit to a clinic attached to his hotel, after complaining of chest pains.

The man then reporedly fainted while he was waiting to pay for his treatment. Police have not said what kind of treatment, if any, the man had received at the clinic, but confirmed that the man had been dead for no less than two hours by the time they arrived to Patong hospital.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/south-african-55-dies-after-visit-to-karon-clinic-with-chest-pains-52649.php

-- Phuket News 2015-06-06

[Somtamnication]

RIP. Very sad.

[zaphod reborn]

"The man then reportedly fainted while he was waiting to pay for his treatment."

Poor guy. Complained of chest pain and the clinic was more interested in collecting their fee from the farang than actually giving him an examination. Maybe the clinic should be equipped with a defibrillator.

[CiaranO]

"The man then reportedly fainted while he was waiting to pay for his treatment."

Poor guy. Complained of chest pain and the clinic was more interested in collecting their fee from the farang than actually giving him an examination. Maybe the clinic should be equipped with a defibrillator.

A defibrillator? Lucky if they're was a competent doctor or qualified one on duty.

[LivinginKata]

"The man then reportedly fainted while he was waiting to pay for his treatment."

Poor guy. Complained of chest pain and the clinic was more interested in collecting their fee from the farang than actually giving him an examination. Maybe the clinic should be equipped with a defibrillator.

A defibrillator? Lucky if they're was a competent doctor or qualified one on duty.

I can guess which clinic this is, and I know that a qualified doctor is only available a very limited number of hours per day. I assume that he had been treated as payment is made after treatment.

[stevenl]

"The man then reportedly fainted while he was waiting to pay for his treatment."

Poor guy. Complained of chest pain and the clinic was more interested in collecting their fee from the farang than actually giving him an examination. Maybe the clinic should be equipped with a defibrillator.

It would be better if you did not judge before knowing exactly what happened.

[kmj]

If you are having chest pain don't <deleted> around with a clinic, get yourself to hospital...

[IamNoone88]

RIP.

Chest pains, numbness in left hand fingers, dental pain in all teeth, difficulty in breathing ......... all potential warning signs ......get down to a proper hospital quickly ........

Mild stroke warning signs, smiling - one side droops is a warning, alternate blinking - one eye does not close fully, stretching arms above the head - one arm cannot stretch fully - signs of a potential mild stroke .....

Know the signs ...... get to a good hospital.

[FireMedic]

Attention all expats: Please DO NOT go to a local clinic for chest pain. Chest pains/MIs/heart attacks all need to be treated at a real hospital with a working Cath Lab. If you don't immediately collapse from an sudden cardiac arrest, every minute you delay is a better chance of dying. If you have an onset of chest pain, stay calm, take 2 - 4 baby aspirin, and get to a good hospital with a working cath lab. If the cathlab is not manned 24 hours a day, don't go there. The time it takes to set up a lab and team is critical time you may not have.

P.S. A defib could have worked if he had a fatal arrhythmia, most of which kill you long before you get yourself to a doctor. If he had ongoing chest pain prior, it was a clot and ONLY a cath lab can fix that.

[grumpyoldman]

They have an excellent heart clinic at Bangkok-Phuket hospital, probably should get a check-up myself.

RIP to this fellow, seems just some really bad luck.

[SOTIRIOS]

...the way this is written...hard to know which came first....

...'offered a free treatment by the hotel'......

...I hope we get full disclosure.....

.

[Traveling Sailor]

"The man then reportedly fainted while he was waiting to pay for his treatment."

Poor guy. Complained of chest pain and the clinic was more interested in collecting their fee from the farang than actually giving him an examination. Maybe the clinic should be equipped with a defibrillator.

A defibrillator? Lucky if they're was a competent doctor or qualified one on duty.

I can guess which clinic this is, and I know that a qualified doctor is only available a very limited number of hours per day. I assume that he had been treated as payment is made after treatment.

I won't offer a guess as to what clinic it might be, but I can suggest that the clinic be held responsible for the man's death and shut down pending investication. There are many incompitent doctors, nurses, etc in Thailand who purchased their degree. I know because I have been mis-diagnosed by a few. Even the ones who went to most of their classes are part of the idiotic "no-fail" Thai education system. The only Thai doctors that I trust are those who have studied outside of Thailand and have learned how to diagnose (requires knowing how to think).

[bazmlb]

And remember the new emergency number is 1669 which is manned by paramedics who can speak english and have the information about the closest EMS and under the new laws just enacted they are allowed to talk any person thru using an AED if needed and available.

[bangkapi]

Long story short... Happened to my friend aged 57 less than 2 years ago. Chest pains. Asked him if he wanted to go to Ramkhamhaeng Hospital a few minutes away or Bumrungrad downtown about 25 minutes because it was a Sunday without traffic.

He said, "the near one" Got him there in a hurry and they said he had an "event" and they had to take him to surgery as quickly as possible, but they needed 200K baht first.

Drove home and got the cash and he was in the CCU for about 3 days and now he is as good as new.

You cannot take those things lightly.. A clinic is NOT the place to go when you are having an event.

[landslide]

In 2007, I had what I thought was heartburn while fishing with friends. After ignoring it all day, I remembered about my mother telling me my grandfather thought he had heartburn prior to his first heart attack. About 7 in the evening, I decided to go have it checked out at the closest hospital, about an hour and a quarter drive from the cabin. My friend insisted on driving. We arrived at the hospital, told the receptionist in emergency why I was there. I was immediately taken to a room and hooked up to a heart monitor. 10 minutes after arriving, the last thing I can remember was the nurse saying a cardiologist was being called in to check me. Next thing I knew, I was surrounded by medical personel. I had had a Sudden Cardiac Arrest. My heart had stopped beating, and was just vibrating, so no blood was being pumped. The medical personel restarted my heart with a defibrillator. The cardiologist later determined that I had a blood clot which broke loose and blocked the flow of blood in one artery, causing the SCA. If this had occurred at the cabin, I would not be here now. That night, I had stents placed in the artery to insure good blood flow. It is important to know that there are many indicators of cardiac distress, not all of which are painful. My friends and I have even purchased a one use automatic defibrillator for the cabin, since we are all getting up in age.

[jacko45k]

My condolences to the deceased's family.

I have actually learned a few things from this article.

One is that Karon clinic may well have diagnosed him correctly, but the urgency of paying his bill overrode that of getting him to treatment.

Also that 'rushed to the scene' means 'no less than 2 hours'.

[natway09]

Some of you people areb really full of shit.

The poor guy had chest pains, went to get some help at a clinic, but maybe it was just too late.People die you know.

How come you farangs always want to blame the locals for everything ?

[paulchiangmai]

Long story short... Happened to my friend aged 57 less than 2 years ago. Chest pains. Asked him if he wanted to go to Ramkhamhaeng Hospital a few minutes away or Bumrungrad downtown about 25 minutes because it was a Sunday without traffic.

He said, "the near one" Got him there in a hurry and they said he had an "event" and they had to take him to surgery as quickly as possible, but they needed 200K baht first.

Drove home and got the cash and he was in the CCU for about 3 days and now he is as good as new.

You cannot take those things lightly.. A clinic is NOT the place to go when you are having an event.

Can you tell us where is the place when you haven't got a couple hundred thousand hanging around the house?

[stevenl]

Long story short... Happened to my friend aged 57 less than 2 years ago. Chest pains. Asked him if he wanted to go to Ramkhamhaeng Hospital a few minutes away or Bumrungrad downtown about 25 minutes because it was a Sunday without traffic.

He said, "the near one" Got him there in a hurry and they said he had an "event" and they had to take him to surgery as quickly as possible, but they needed 200K baht first.

Drove home and got the cash and he was in the CCU for about 3 days and now he is as good as new.

You cannot take those things lightly.. A clinic is NOT the place to go when you are having an event.

Can you tell us where is the place when you haven't got a couple hundred thousand hanging around the house?

You need health insurance or reserve. If you have neither the place to go is your home country.