Thousands of lives could be saved if more people knew the early symptoms of a heart attack, NHS England has said as it launched a campaign urging people to call 999 earlier.
Research by NHS England found three in four people confused a heart attack, which has symptoms that do not always feel severe, with a cardiac arrest.
“Sadly, cardiovascular disease causes a quarter of all deaths across the country and we have identified this as the single biggest area where we can save lives over the next decade,” said Stephen Powis, NHS England’s medical director.
The new Help Us Help You drive encourages people to call 999 earlier and educates people about symptoms such as sweating, uneasiness and chest tightness.
Only 41% of 2,022 people polled knew sweating is a heart-attack symptom. That dropped to just 27% of people who knew feeling weak, lightheaded or generally uneasy are symptoms.
Powis continued: “It can be easy to dismiss early symptoms as they don’t always feel severe, but it is never too early to dial 999 in this circumstance – and the faster you act, the better the chance of a full recovery.”
England has more than 80,000 hospital admissions for heart attacks a year. The survival rate, of seven in 10 people, rises to nine in 10 for those who get early hospital treatment.
The campaign is backed by celebrities including Sky Sports presenter Peter Dale and actor and director Richard Wilson, who have both experienced heart attacks.
“I had no idea that I was experiencing symptoms of a heart attack,” said Dale, who was 36. “On the morning of the attack, I went home after playing football thinking I had indigestion – I just didn’t feel quite right and both of my arms started to feel numb.”
Dale said he managed to text his mum, who called an ambulance, and paramedics told him it was a heart attack.
“People need to be aware of the symptoms – it’s not a case of clutching your chest and falling to the ground. Early signs aren’t always severe but if you experience any symptoms, call 999,” Dale said. “Acting quickly saved my life.”
In the 1960s, more than seven in 10 heart attacks in the UK were fatal. Now, at least 7 in 10 people survive, with 1.1 million survivors living in England.
Wilson, 85, said his heart attack exerted a long-term toll. “I got more tired, I’m able to walk around less and my memory has suffered as well. The scariest part is that at the time I did not know enough about heart attacks or heart health,” he said.
According to the NHS, a heart attack is when blood supply to the heart is blocked, dangerously starving the body of oxygen, but people are often conscious and breathing. A cardiac arrest – which can be provoked by a heart attack – is when the heart stops suddenly, with people losing consciousness and often dying in minutes without treatment.
Wilson added: “I’d advise everyone, especially those aged 50 and over, to look up the symptoms of a heart attack and if you suspect you have any of these to call 999 immediately.”
