Cycling UK Forum

I'm unclear if this is new advice, or if somebody has decided to proof test the emergency ambulance system

Doctors want people to be more aware of common early symptoms such as sweating and tightness in the chest - and to call 999 if they experience them.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60358296

Symptoms of a heart attack can include:

• chest pain - a sensation of pressure, heaviness, tightness or squeezing across the chest

• pain in other parts of the body - it can feel as if the pain is spreading from your chest to your arms (usually the left arm is affected, but it can affect both arms), jaw, neck, back and abdomen

• feeling lightheaded or dizzy

• sweating

• shortness of breath

• feeling sick or being sick

• an overwhelming sense of anxiety (similar to having a panic attack)

• coughing or wheezing

• Although the chest pain is often severe, some people may only experience minor pain, similar to indigestion. While the most common symptom of a heart attack in both men and women is chest pain, women are more likely to experience other symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain

I haven't seen anything new in the advice.

It is a new campaign.

"NHS launches lifesaving campaign to tackle heart attack myths":
https://www.england.nhs.uk/2022/02/nhs- ... ack-myths/

Jonathan

Publicise the overloading of the ambulance service: people call less
Publicise typical symptoms of emergencies: people call more
Publicise the overloading of the ambulance service: people call less
Publicise typical symptoms of emergencies: people call more
Publicise the overloading of the ambulance service: people call less
Publicise typical symptoms of emergencies: people call more
Publicise the overloading of the ambulance service: people call less
Publicise typical symptoms of emergencies: people call more

Checking through the NHS link within my link, as someone living with angina since 2004 I found this

Angina and heart attacks

Angina is a syndrome (a collection of symptoms caused by an underlying health condition) caused by the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart becoming restricted.

People with angina can experience similar symptoms to a heart attack, but they usually happen during exercise and pass within a few minutes.

However, occasionally, people with angina can have a heart attack. It's important to recognise the difference between the symptoms of angina and those of a heart attack. The best way to do this is to remember that the symptoms of angina can be controlled with medicine, but symptoms of a heart attack cannot.

If you have angina, you may have been prescribed medicine (glyceryl trinitrate) that improves your symptoms within 5 minutes. If the first dose does not work, a second dose can be taken after 5 minutes, and a third dose after a further 5 minutes.

If the pain persists, despite taking 3 doses of glyceryl trinitrate over 15 minutes, call 999 and ask for an ambulance.

I was shattered and confused when I was diagnosed and prescribed the glyceryl trinitrate spray. The advice from my GP was if I had chest pain to use the spray (two puffs) twice and if it didn't work ring 999. As a devout hypochondriac, I experienced repeated chest pains but refrained from ringing 999. I asked a cardiac nurse about this and she said it was probably indigestion. I carry a spray with me constantly, as others may have a St Christopher or rabbit's foot, and I've never needed to use it. (Touch wood.) But I now know it's three doses before 999

I wonder if anybody has alerted the ambulance services to this campaign

There's clearly a lot of ignorance about heart attacks, as shown in the poll.

It's very sensible to address this.

Jonathan

I'm surprised by the stuff coming out of the NHS these days. Latest about 999, yet early Jan I was at the point of passing out (for several hours), unable to sit at kitchen table and systolic way OTT and it was so bad I ended-up calling 111 (I was not having a heart attack). They went through their questionnaire and then said if I was having a stroke or heart attack I'd have to wait over an hour for any ambulance and if I wasn't I wasn't getting an ambulance" (they passed me to the out-of-hours GP who said get to A&E but I had no way to trvel there!).

And they keep telling everybody to come forward with their medical issues yet I've been on an urgent referral to neurology since last Dec (referred from and ENT consultant) and all that's happening is I periodically get letters saying "no appointments available but we'll contact you when some are available".

They keep "we're open for business" yet try to get to see them ...

I'm not suggesting people shouldn't come forward nor that they shouldn't call 999 but where are they going to magic these appointments etc. from?

Ian

That's seems a long list of potential symptoms to be calling 999, I see trouble ahead.

Slowtwitch wrote: ↑12 Feb 2022, 5:52pm That's seems a long list of potential symptoms to be calling 999, I see trouble ahead.

Sounds like me at the top of an Alpine pass!

I does seem a little vague, is there any one or two of those that should trigger a triple 9, if its just one i'd have to call on just about every ride!

"Call 999 immediately if you think someone might be having a heart attack. The faster you act, the better their chances."
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heart-attack/

Then they'll ask some questions and recommend appropriate action.

They're not saying that having one of those symptoms in all contexts suggests a heart attack.

Jonathan