'Wait and See' Approach to Heart Attack Signs Contribute to Poor Survival Rates

NEW YORK, Jan. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Many U.S. adults lack critical knowledge about heart attack warning signs beyond the so-called " Hollywood Heart Attack"-- the sudden, crushing chest pain that is often depicted in the movies and on television, according to a new Harris Interactive(R) survey commissioned by PDL BioPharma, Inc. This knowledge gap, coupled with a "wait and see" approach in seeking timely treatment, may contribute to the nearly one-half million heart-attack related deaths in the United States annually.(1)

To combat the ongoing awareness gap about heart attacks and how to respond, Act in Time to Heart Attack Signs, a National Heart Lung and BloodInstitute (NHLBI) public education campaign, is being revitalized through the sponsorship of PDL BioPharma. The campaign, originally launched in 2001 by the NHLBI, urges Americans to learn the various warning signs of a heart attack and call 9-1-1 immediately in order to save lives.

"The vision of Act in Time has always been to save lives by increasing the woefully low number of heart attack patients who are treated within the first hour of experiencing symptoms," said Elizabeth G. Nabel, M.D., Director of NHLBI. "While we've made great strides in educating Americans about heart attack warning signs in order to drive earlier treatment, this survey demonstrates that there's still work to be done to win the war against heart attacks."

An estimated 1.2 million Americans suffer heart attacks each year and approximately 494,400 of them die. Nearly half of heart attack deaths occur before the person reaches the hospital. Most heart attack victims wait two or more hours after symptom onset before seeking medical help, often because they do not realize they're having a heart attack.(2)

"Tragically, many patients, expecting to experience sudden, crushing chest pain, don't recognize the less dramatic symptoms of a heart attack, don't seek prompt treatment and, therefore, don't receive powerful life-saving therapies in time," said William E. Boden, M.D., national spokesperson for Act in Time. "We hope to reverse that trend with this education program."

According to Dr. Boden , Director of Cardiovascular Clinical Trials at Hartford Hospital, and Professor of Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, the most common heart attack warning signs include pain or discomfort in the center of the chest; discomfort in one or both arms, back,neck, jaw, or stomach; shortness of breath; and other signs, such as breakingout in a cold sweat, nausea, and light-headedness.

The survey also found that: -- While 85% of U.S. adults recognized chest discomfort as a heart attack warning sign, significantly fewer adults are aware that discomfort in the neck (36%), back (32%), jaw (30%) or stomach (23%) are also symptoms of a heart attack. -- Less than half (46%) of U.S. adults who have been diagnosed with a heart attack or have a friend or family member who has been diagnosed with a heart attack indicated that they/their friend or family members actually experienced chest discomfort.

"It is essential that Americans become familiar with all of the heart attack warning signs, because every second counts when it comes to a heart attack," Dr. Boden emphasized. "Clot-dissolving drug therapy or dilation of a blocked coronary artery with balloon angioplasty and stenting can stop, or interrupt, a heart attack, limiting or preventing debilitating or deadly heart muscle damage. However, these treatments are most effective when administered within one hour of symptom onset. " Dr. Boden went on to explain that delay in symptom recognition will inevitably delay prompt treatment, hence, patient education about heart attack warning signs is paramount.