A registrar from North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust is backing a national campaign to increase earlier diagnosis of heart attacks by encouraging people to act more quickly on symptoms.
Heart and circulatory disease, also known as cardiovascular disease, causes a quarter of all deaths in the UK and is the largest cause of premature mortality in deprived areas.
Heart attack symptoms and signs can vary from person to person. The most common symptoms are squeezing across the chest of a feeling of unease.
But symptoms don’t always feel severe – lesser-known symptoms include a feeling of pressure or heaviness across your chest, shortness of breath, feeling or being sick and back or jaw pain without any chest pain.
That’s why the NHS in North Cumbria is encouraging people to recognise the potential signs of a heart attack, so if you or somebody you’re with experience any symptoms, you can access help as quickly as possible.
Omolara Plang, Registrar at the West Cumberland Hospital, said: “The best advice I can give for people to look after their hearts is to get active, eat healthy and learn to recognise and manage stress.
“If you’re worried then don’t ignore it. Speak to your doctor.”
Despite heart attacks more frequently affecting men, around 30,000 women are admitted to hospital following a heart attack each year in the UK. Women’s risk of a heart attack increases after the menopause, so it’s really important to take these symptoms seriously.
It’s never too early to call 999 and describe your symptoms. If you think you or somebody you’re with is having a heart attack, don’t be tempted to wait to see what happens.
The faster you seek medical assistance, the better your chances. Visit nhs.uk/heartattack for more information.
Key messages
• The signs of a heart attack can vary, the most common include squeezing across the chest and a feeling of unease.
• The symptoms of a heart attack don’t always feel severe.
• It can be easy to dismiss the signs of a heart attack but it’s never too early to call 999 and describe your symptoms.
• Further heart attack symptoms you could experience include a feeling of pressure, heaviness or a squeezing across your chest.
• Don’t be tempted to wait to see what happens. The faster you seek medical assistance, the better your chances.
• Symptoms can vary from person to person. Some people may have other symptoms such as shortness of breath, feeling or being sick and back or jaw pain without any chest pain.
• Despite heart attacks more frequently affecting men, around 30,000 women are admitted to hospital following a heart attack each year in the UK. Women’s risk of a heart attack increases after the menopause, so it’s really important to take these symptoms seriously.
Call to action
• It’s never too early to call 999 and describe your symptoms.
• Visit nhs.uk/heartattack for more information
