In the Forum
Heart Attack Patients Ignorant of Symptoms
Volume: 48 (29/05/2008)
Researchers at the University of California, School of Nursing have found that many people at high risk of suffering a heart attack do not know the symptoms of the impending disaster. According to their study report published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the reason for this decline in understanding of heart attack symptoms is largely due to changes in treatment patterns.Study leader Dr. Kathleen Dracup and colleagues studied 3,522 patients in the US, Australia and New Zealand before arriving at this conclusion. All the patients had either suffered a heart attack or undergone a procedure, such as angioplasty, for their heart problem. They found that while the patients had five to seven times higher risk of having a
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heart attack compared to people with no history of the disease, they were not fully aware of their symptoms.
44 percent of the patients covered failed to score well on a true-false test that checked how well they knew their symptoms. The best scores were found among women in general, in addition to patients who had gone through cardiac rehabilitation, or had higher education. Younger patients and those treated by a heart specialist rather than a family physician also scored better on the test.
Symptoms of a heart attack about to happen include nausea and pain in the jaw, chest or left arm. The researchers found that while these symptoms were visible, most patients were unable to recognise them as their education on the subject was minimal on account of shorter hospital stays and a move to outpatient treatment.
“In decades past such patients were frequently hospitalized and would receive education and counselling from physicians and nurses during their hospital stay,” the researchers said. “Unfortunately structural changes in health care delivery have led to decreased lengths of hospital stay and increased use of outpatient facilities… which in turn have had a dramatic effect on the time available for the education of patients.”
According to earlier studies, chances of survival of heart attack patients are highest if they receive treatment within one hour. However, the researchers found that most patients reached hospital two and half to three hours after their heart attack symptoms first appeared.
Referring to earlier studies, the researchers said that even patients who have already had a heart attack did not seek help faster than those who did not have such a history. When they took the lack of knowledge about the symptoms they found in their study, they did not find the results of the earlier studies surprising.
44 percent of the patients covered failed to score well on a true-false test that checked how well they knew their symptoms. The best scores were found among women in general, in addition to patients who had gone through cardiac rehabilitation, or had higher education. Younger patients and those treated by a heart specialist rather than a family physician also scored better on the test.
Symptoms of a heart attack about to happen include nausea and pain in the jaw, chest or left arm. The researchers found that while these symptoms were visible, most patients were unable to recognise them as their education on the subject was minimal on account of shorter hospital stays and a move to outpatient treatment.
“In decades past such patients were frequently hospitalized and would receive education and counselling from physicians and nurses during their hospital stay,” the researchers said. “Unfortunately structural changes in health care delivery have led to decreased lengths of hospital stay and increased use of outpatient facilities… which in turn have had a dramatic effect on the time available for the education of patients.”
According to earlier studies, chances of survival of heart attack patients are highest if they receive treatment within one hour. However, the researchers found that most patients reached hospital two and half to three hours after their heart attack symptoms first appeared.
Referring to earlier studies, the researchers said that even patients who have already had a heart attack did not seek help faster than those who did not have such a history. When they took the lack of knowledge about the symptoms they found in their study, they did not find the results of the earlier studies surprising.
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