Patients with heart attacks wait too long for care because of fear and lack of understanding of symptoms, study finds

Medical experts believe that patients with heart attacks wait too long to respond to symptoms because of their anxiety and lack of understanding of the disease.

New research published in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, found that patients waited an average of three hours before seeking medical help, some postponing more than 24 hours seeking care.

The study was conducted on 326 patients followed for a first or second infarction with acute treatment, completing a questionnaire that badessed their emotions and action patterns before seeking help in a heart attack.

The reasons for the delay include a perceived inability to act that has had a significant impact on patients who waited more than 12 hours. Patients said that the reasons they had not asked for help earlier included the following: "I lost all ability to act when my symptoms started." "; "I did not know what to do when I had my symptoms"; 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," says Dr. Carolin Nymark, author of the study, Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, 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. "

The inability to accurately diagnose symptoms of heart attack also affected people who were slow to seek care for more than 12 hours. The patients stated that it had taken a long time to understand their symptoms; they thought that the alarm signals would pbad; and that they thought they were not serious enough to ask for medical help.

However, patients who accurately identified their heart attack symptoms and sought the help of a doctor quickly stated that they knew that the symptoms were severe and that they knew where go for help.

"Our previous research has shown that some patients thought their symptoms were 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."

Acute myocardial infarction is a serious medical emergency in which the blood supply to the heart is suddenly blocked, usually by a blood clot, the NHS says.

Symptoms of a heart attack may include chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness, and / or lightheadedness and overwhelming anxiety.

However, Dr. Nymark said, "Another red flag is the feeling that you have no power to act on your symptoms.

"This may indicate a real threat to health and the need to call an ambulance."

The NHS warns that a heart attack is a medical emergency and those who think they are suffering must dial 999 and immediately request an ambulance.