Heart Attack Survival in SE Asia: Retiree Risks in Philippines, Thailand & Vietnam"

Written By Joe Gilbert

Introduction

If you're dreaming of retiring in the sunny beaches of Southeast Asia. Think Philippines, Thailand, or Vietnam, you're not alone, but did you know that a heart attack out here will likely be your end? Today, we're diving into the real stats on out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, especially for folks over 65. We will also show you how to reduce your risks and give you the top hospitals for cardiac care in the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam..

This could save your life.

If you google cardiac arrest survival rates, you will likely end up with a skewed picture of the real risks. When you combine in hospital heart attacks with out of hospital cardiac arrest survival rates, the picture is overly optimistic. The truth is ugly, and it’s worst in Southeast Asia.

out of hospital cardiac arrest

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) happens when your heart suddenly stops, often from a heart attack. In remote spots like mountains or islands, survival drops fast due to delayed help. In the USA, most people, know CPR, many places have defibrillators, and we have modern well Equipped EMS services that include air ambulance. Good luck with any of that in SE Asia.

Globally, the sobering survival rate for those making it to hospital discharge for out of hospital cardiac arrest (with CPR) is only about 8.8%. In Southeast Asia, it's often lower, especially for us retirees where cardiovascular disease is the top killer, causing 38% of deaths in the region.

Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD) rates are rising, and CVD is the primary driver of Cardiac arrest. CVD is up 148% in cases from 1990-2021, with 1.7 million deaths in 2021alone. Let's break it down by country.

Philippines

The Philippines with its stunning islands, and wonderful people may be paradise, but OHCA survival is tough. In studies, only 2.4% survive to 30 days after arrest. For retirees, CVD hits hard: it's the cause of 58% of deaths here, higher than neighboring countries.

If you're hiking in the Cordilleras or on a remote island, response times lag and you will almost certainly die. Overall in the Philippines, 1/2 of deaths happen before you reach the hospital. Bystander CPR is rare, even though when done, boosts survival by 88%. For elderly expats, comorbidities like diabetes make it worse.

Here are the Top hospitals in the Philippines:

Take note of their locations and plan your retirement location in close proximity to one of the following hospitals if possible.

1) Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City.

Asia's leading hospital for heart surgery, admits 14,000+ yearly.

2) St. Luke's Medical Center (Quezon City or Global City).

First JCI-accredited in Philippines, excels in emergency cardiac care.

(JCI is the recognized global leader in health care accreditation)

3) Asian Cardiovascular Institute at Asian Hospital in Manila.

Advanced diagnostics and interventions.

4) The Medical City in Pasig – specialized cardiovascular surgery with cutting-edge tech.

5) Makati Medical Center

Also JCI-accredited for comprehensive heart treatments.

Thailand

Thailand is famous their Golden temples and beaches, but OHCA stats are similar to the Philippines. Survival to discharge is 3.4% for EMS-transported cases. There are a lot of data to unpack so as always, links will be below so you can do your own research.

Top hospitals in Thailand:

1) Bangkok Hospital – ranked 32nd in Asia-Pacific for cardiac surgery, state-of-the-art.

2) Bumrungrad International Hospital – 17th in cardiology, pioneers arrhythmia care with EP labs.

3) Samitivej Hospital – advanced arrhythmia and failure treatments.

4) Vejthani Hospital – comprehensive cardiac services.

5) Phyathai 2 International – modern interventions.

Vietnam

Vietnam’s vibrant culture is alluring, but OHCA survival is only 5.4%. CVD is rising in Vietnam, especially in elderly. Additionally, like Thailand and the Philippines, bystander CPR low, but witnessed arrests have a 10.5% discharge survival rate. (That Doubles your odds of serving.)

Top hospitals:

1) Vinmec Hospitals (Hai Phong, Ha Long, Central Park) – ACC-accredited for heart failure and cath labs.

2) Tam Duc Cardiology Hospital – treated 1.5M+ patients, 12,000+ surgeries.

3) Heart Institute of Ho Chi Minh City – advanced diagnosis.

4) FV Hospital – arrhythmia experts with 98-99% ablation success.

Conclusion and Tips

Retiring in SE Asia is amazing, but OHCA risks are real. If you have a heart attack and no one around you knows CPR and gets you to a hospital ASAP, you’re going to die. Here is the best we can do:

  • Move close to a top hospital

  • Recognize symptoms, call EMS fast, learn CPR.

  • Get travel insurance covering evacuations.

  • Learn CPR – it doubles odds in OHCA.

  • Prioritize Prevention:

  • manage BP, quit smoking.

Once again,

Better thinking does equal a better life.

Citations

1. Do SN, et al. Survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, Viet Nam. Bull World Health Organ. 2021;99(1):50-61.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7924896

2. Sirikul W, et al. A retrospective multi-centre cohort study: Pre-hospital survival factors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666520421001211

3. Khetan AK, et al. Mortality, Cardiovascular Disease, and Their Associations With Risk Factors in Southeast Asia: A PURE Substudy. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11328768

4. CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/about/cardiac-arrest.html

Joe Gilbert
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