You have a heart attack. Why not ask for help?

The perceived inability to act on the symptoms could mean a life-threatening situation, according to a study published today in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, Journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

Most heart attack deaths occur in the first few hours after the onset of symptoms. Prompt treatment is crucial to restore blood flow to blocked arteries and save lives. The time required for patients to interpret and respond to symptoms is the main reason for delays in accessing the hospital and the care they need.

The study included 326 patients undergoing acute treatment for a first or second heart attack. Participants completed the questionnaire "Patient Assessment, Emotional Tendencies and Trends in Action Prior to Finding Care for Acute Myocardial Infarction" (PA-AMI).

Patients in the study waited an average of three hours before asking for medical help. Some delayed more than 24 hours. So what went through them during this period? This study identified for the first time two general reactions.

The perceived inability to act had a significant impact on patients who waited more than 12 hours. These patients stated: "I lost all power to act when my symptoms started"; "I did not know what to do when I had my symptoms"; "my symptoms have paralyzed me"; and "I felt that I had lost control of myself when I had my symptoms."

"This immobilization during heart attack symptoms has never been demonstrated or studied before," said Dr. Carolin Nymark, author of the study, Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, in Sweden. "At the moment, we do not know why some patients react in this way, it may be related to fear or anxiety, this should be a new element to educate people about what is happening. You have to do when they have heart attack symptoms. "

An incorrect badessment of symptoms also affected those who waited more than twelve hours. These patients stated that it had taken a long time to understand their symptoms; they thought the symptoms would pbad; they thought that the symptoms were not serious enough to ask for medical attention; and they thought it would be difficult to seek medical care.

Conversely, patients who have correctly identified their heart attack symptoms and immediately consulted a physician wanted care, knew that the symptoms were severe and where they needed to go for help, and did not tried to divert their thoughts from these symptoms.

"Our previous research has shown that some patients think their symptoms are not severe enough to call an ambulance," said Dr. Nymark. "Others think that the intensive care unit is closed in the middle of the night, perhaps because they do not think clearly during the event."

The warning signs of a heart attack include moderate to severe discomfort, such as pain in the chest, throat, neck, back, abdomen or shoulders, that lasts more than 15 minutes. It often manifests as nausea, cold sweats, weakness, shortness of breath or fear. "Another red flag thinks you do not have the power to act on your symptoms," said Dr. Nymark. "This could indicate a real threat to health and the need to call an ambulance."

Dr. Nymark said that this new signal could be discussed during outpatient appointments for people with cardiovascular risk factors and in cardiac rehab programs for survivors of a heart attack. The study questionnaire could be used to identify patients who have previously experienced an inability to act or a poor badessment of symptoms.

"Our findings are worrisome because even a small reduction in lead time would save heart muscles and save lives," said Dr. Nymark. "Reducing patient delays seems like a complex task and we need to find innovative ways to educate and educate patients and the public."

Dr. Nymark concluded, "If you have symptoms that could be caused by a heart attack, do not ignore them, call for help right away, it's better to be wrong about symptoms than to die."