09/09/2009

Women risk lives by delaying calling 999

BHF launches 999 Day to raise awareness of heart attack symptoms

A third of women wouldn’t recognise they are suffering a heart attack because they would expect to experience crushing or severe chest pain (33%), a symptom which mainly affects men, according to survey results released by the British Heart Foundation on 999 Day – a drive to raise awareness of the need to call 999 at the first sign of a heart attack.

Worryingly the survey also showed that more than a third of women (35%) wouldn’t call 999 if they were experiencing unusual chest pains for fear of being left red faced if it turned out not to be serious.

The results reflect official figures which confirm that women are more likely to put off dialling 999 waiting on average 24 minutes longer than men after first experiencing heart attack symptoms (2) – dramatically cutting their chances of survival.

Approximately 140 men and 110 women die every day from heart attacks. Around 90,000 people die from heart attacks every year. A third of people die before reaching hospital (3) often because they have waited too long to seek medical help which is why the BHF is reminding people today (09/09/09) to call 999 if they think they are having a heart attack.

Read more HERE

Heart attack video below

Visit British Heart Foundation special 999 Day site for more on the campaign