Half of all Britons will stoically try to ignore possible heart attack signs, deciding to wait a while to see whether they will go away, rather than seek immediate help or call an ambulance, says the British Heart Foundation. Unfortunately, in the case of a heart attack, the British stiff-upper-lip is costing thousands of lives – a patient’s chances of survival are dependent on receiving immediate treatment.
In a survey, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) found that 64% of people who experience chest pains would rather talk to a friend or a doctor than dial 999 (the number you call in the UK for emergencies). 40% say they prefer to wait and see whether things get better (rather than calling for an ambulance straight away).
The BHF has launched a campaign, called Doubt Kills. The aim is to get people to call for an ambulance as soon as heart attack symptoms appear. There is a poster with a man whose upper chest area is severely tightened by a belt, the message reads:
“A chest pain is your body saying ‘Call 999’. Doubt Kills. Call 999 Immediately.”
Common symptoms of a heart attack
— Pain in the center of the chest
— Painful arm(s), neck and/or jaw
— Feeling sick
— Feeling sweaty
— Being short of breath
Less typical symptoms of a heart attack
— Heavy feeling in the chest
— Dull ache/pain in the chest
— Mild chest discomfort, plus you generally don’t feel well
— Chest pain spreads to stomach or back
— Chest pain feels like bad indigestion
— Chest pain with light-headedness/dizziness
— Click here for more information on recognizing symptoms at the BHF web site
British Heart Foundation (BHF) links:
— Chest Pain, Why Worry?
— Warning Signs Quiz
— Women and Heart Attacks
— Why Act Immediately?
— Tools for Health Professionals
— The Doubt Kills Campaign
— About the BHF
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today