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These are the common signs of a heart attack which are often ignored - do you know them?
The NHS is launching a campaign to teach people the common signs of a heart attack which are often ignored by those experiencing them.
The campaign is designed to help people to know when to dial 999 as the number of admissions for heart attacks returns to pre-pandemic levels.
NHS figures show that there were more than 84,000 hospital heart attack admissions in England during a year long period between 2021 and 2022, up by more than 7,000 compared to the previous year-long period when fewer people came forward for care during the pandemic.
The heath service has said people's chances of surviving a heart attack are far higher if they seek care earlier.
Around seven in 10 people survive a heart attack, with this figure increasing to more than nine in 10 for those who reach hospital early to receive treatment.
The new NHS advert will run from this week, encouraging people to dial 999 as soon as they experience symptoms of a heart attack.
The symptoms are:
• 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 heart beat
• Low or undetectable heart beat
• Blue or pale tingling of knees, hands and lips
• Nausea or coughing up blood
• Unconsciousness
• Seizures or fitting
NHS research also shows that whilst 70% of those surveyed understood that pain in the chest is a symptom of a heart attack, just 41% knew sweating was a symptom.
Only 27% understood feeling weak, lightheaded or a feeling of general unease were also symptoms.
The campaign also seeks to raise awareness of heart attack symptoms amongst women.
Despite 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.
Professor Nick Linker, cardiologist and NHS national clinical director for heart disease, said: "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."
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said: "Every minute matters when somebody is having a heart attack, and could be the difference between life and death.
"Even if the symptoms don't seem severe, such as a feeling of squeezing or tightness across the chest - call 999 immediately. A heart attack is a medical emergency and immediate action could save your life."
A heart attack occurs when the supply of blood to the heart becomes blocked, which can starve it of oxygen potentially causing serious muscle damage. The person will be conscious and breathing.
A cardiac arrest is different - it usually occurs suddenly and without warning with the person quickly losing consciousness.
Their heart stops, they will have no pulse and sadly people experiencing a cardiac arrest will usually die within minutes if they do not receive treatment. A heart attack can lead to a cardiac arrest.
注释：
rasp: v
表示" 用锉刀锉；刺激；"，means "scrape with a rasp;"，如：Her loud voice rasped on the sick man's nerves. 她那高嗓门刺激著病人的神经。
tingle: v
表示" 刺痛；激动"，means "have a prickly feeling"，如：I tingle where I sat in the nettles.我坐过在荨麻上的那个部位觉得刺痛。
Seizure: n
表示"发作"，means "a sudden occurrence (or recurrence) of a disease;"，如：He was released the day after suffering a seizure. 心脏病发作的第二天，他就出院了。
fitting: n
表示"装配"，means "(usually plural) furnishings and equipment (especially for a ship or hotel)"，如：The fitting required about 2 hours. 装配需要大约两个小时的时间。
menopause: n
表示" 停经期；更年期"，means "the time in a woman's life in which the menstrual cycle ends"，如：Menopause is a kind of expression that ovarian function ebbs.绝经是卵巢功能衰退的一种表现。
sensation: n
表示" 感觉；轰动；"，means "feeling; feeling of great excitement"，如：He had a sensation of dizziness. 他有一种晕眩的感觉。The new discovery caused a great sensation. 这项新发现很轰动。
cardiac: adj
表示" 心脏的；心脏病的"，means "of or relating to the heart"，如：cardiac arrest 心搏停止
中文简要说明：
心脏病主要以老年人为高风险对象，但近年来受到饮食、压力和生活习惯的影响，年轻族群也有患病增加趋势。好在这并非不治之症，英国政府最近公布一项数据，有7成心脏病患者在病发就医后得以痊愈，而若是及早发现、治疗，存活率更高达9成。
而为了帮助民众做出正确判断，英国国民保健署（NHS）也特此公布了10项心脏病发作的主要征状，除了常见的心绞痛、左肢或左半身麻痹、呼吸困难之外，也包括一些容易忽略、误认的迹象：
1、冒汗；2、感觉不适；3、心跳太快；4、心跳太慢或难以察觉；5、膝盖、手掌和嘴唇刺痛发紫；6、感到恶心甚至咳血；7、昏迷。
NHS根据曾经心脏病发的患者做了一项调查，显示70%病患意识到胸痛是病发症状，但知道「冒汗」也是征兆的却只有41%，认为「头晕或感觉不适」是征兆的更只有27%。
NHS心脏病临床主任林克（Nick Linker）提醒民众，任何突如其来的征兆都有可能是救命指标，因为心脏病发作时，每一刻都会增加心肌损伤程度，而且几乎所有的损害都发生在病发后几小时内，因此只要出现「胸闷、胸紧、冒汗、恶心或不舒服」的症状，务必尽快拨打急救电话，就有最高的机率可以完全康复。
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