Many people ignore concerning heart symptoms

Almost one in five people who experience symptoms that could signal a potential issue with their heart health do not seek any medical help, new research has found.

According to the findings, 18% of people who experienced heart-related symptoms did not look into the possible cause of these. Among those who took no action, 24% assumed the issue was a general symptom of getting older, while 20% thought the issue would improve with time.

Among those who experienced concerning symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain or irregular heartbeat, just 53% spoke to their doctor about this.

The research was conducted among over 1,000 members of the general public on behalf of Blackrock Health. It found that 13% of people were unaware that the symptoms they experienced were warning signs of a heart condition or even a heart attack.

Commenting on the findings, consultant cardiologist at Blackrock Health, Dr Zain Sharif, emphasised the importance of early detection and treatment when it comes to cardiac issues.

“The symptoms are so varied that they can often be mistaken for something else or simply be thought of as insignificant. We want people to know the different signs to look out for. We have so many technologically advanced diagnostic and treatment options available now so the earlier we can diagnose patients, the more we can offer them to ensure that any issue does not progress,” he explained.

Blackrock Health released the findings to coincide with its new campaign, ‘Show Your Heart Some Love’. The campaign features Ann Malone, who was alerted to an irregular heartbeat by her smart watch . 

“I really didn’t think there was any urgency around the irregular heartbeat that my watch alerted me to and I assumed it was just a minor issue, but responding to that alert meant that my heart issue was caught and treated early,” she said.

The research found that overall, women were less likely than men to recognise that the symptoms they had could signal an issue with their heart health. They were also more likely than men to put off going to their doctor about a potential heart issue.

According to consultant cardiologist at Blackrock Health, Dr Carla Canniffe, heart disease is “so often mistakenly thought to be a male health concern”.

“However, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in women. In the acute cardiac assessment service, we see almost as many women attending as men (female 45%, male 55%) and of the one in five people who go on to be admitted to hospital for further investigation or treatment, almost half are female (46%),” she noted.

The research was conducted among a nationally representative sample of 1,010 members of the general public aged 18 and over.