Experts from the NHS have issued a warning over two often overlooked early signs of a heart attack. The health service launched a campaign in response to research indicating a widespread lack of awareness or dismissal of symptoms among Brits.
It comes as data shows hospital admissions for heart attacks in England soared to 84,000 from 2021 to 2022, echoing figures seen before COVID-19 took hold. As detailed by NottinghamshireLive, survival rates stand at about seven out of ten cases for those who suffer heart attacks, with the odds increasing to over nine in ten when patients get to hospital promptly for medical intervention.
NHS research has highlighted that while 70 percent of people recognise chest pain as indicative of a heart attack, an understanding of other symptoms is lacking. Only 41 percent were aware that excessive sweating can be an indicator, and a mere 27 percent recognised that a sensation of weakness or lightheadedness could also signal trouble.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the kind of sweating that might precede a heart attack is often "sudden" and may leave one with "cold, clammy skin". Alongside this, feelings of faintness might involve dizziness or an overwhelming impression of being on the verge of passing out.
The NHS strongly advises calling 999 immediately upon experiencing any heart attack symptoms, urging recognition of these crucial signs as potential harbingers of this life-threatening condition.
Squeezing or pain across the chest
Sweating
A feeling of uneasiness
Pain that radiates down the left arm, or both arms, or to the neck, jaw, back or stomach
Difficulty breathing (snoring or rasping)
Rapid heartbeat
Low or undetectable heartbeat
Blue or pale tingling of knees, hands and lips
Nausea or coughing up blood
Unconsciousness
Seizures or fitting.
Professor Nick Linker, cardiologist and NHS national clinical director for heart disease, commented: “Cardiovascular disease causes one in four deaths across the country, so it is vital that people are aware of the early signs of a heart attack.
“Every moment that passes during a heart attack increases heart muscle damage and nearly all of the damage takes place within the first few hours, so if you experience symptoms such as a sensation of squeezing or tightness across the chest alongside sweating, nausea, or a sense of unease, please call 999 so you have the best chance of a full recovery”.