Heart Attack Sufferers Ignoring Symptoms and Delaying Immediate Interventions

Many people are putting their lives at risk by delaying seeking urgent assistance and mistaking symptoms of heart attack to indigestion.

It seems that many people fail to recognize the signs of a heart attack early, eventually delaying the time to get appropriate treatment, according to a new survey.

A study conducted by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) among 500 heart patients showed that 80% of participants failed to recognize heart attack symptoms early while 35% of them thought that the symptoms were due to indigestion.

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‘‘Every Second Counts’ over delays on reporting a heart attack. Therefore, be aware of heart attack signs and visit the doctor at the earliest to get the life-saving treatments.’

Also, half of the participants (50%) did not visit a hospital or seek treatment in the first hour of the attack. About 11% of them even waited for two days to visit a doctor for consultation.

Coronary heart disease, the primary cause of heart attacks is the biggest killer in the UK. The first hour of the start of a heart attack is crucial as half of the salvageable heart muscle gets lost during this time. Therefore, immediate treatment is recommended to save the person from death.

BHF experts worry that people are underestimating the consequences of this life-threatening condition and it is necessary for them to recognize these symptoms and get early intervention.

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Simon Gillespie, chief executive at the British Heart Foundation, said, “It’s extremely alarming that the majority of people who suffer heart attacks mistake their symptoms for something less serious and delay getting medical help. Every second counts when someone has a heart attack. The sooner people recognise their symptoms and call 999, the better their chance of recovery."

Heart Attack Symptoms

Discomfort or pain in one or both arms
Pressure or tightness in the chest
Shortness of breath
Nausea/Vomiting
Cold sweat
Dizziness

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Source-Medindia

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Heart Attack occurs when the flow of oxygenated blood to heart muscles is hindered or stopped due to built-up of plaques in coronary arteries. Heart Attack is the No.1 killer among Indians.