Heart attack warning signs sought

More than half of heart attack victims had contacted health services during the previous fortnight, according to a major new study.

The proportion of patients who contacted GPS and hospitals also grew each week of the year preceding their cardiac arrest, reveal the findings.

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is the third leading cause of death worldwide, say the researchers behind the study.

It is deadly within minutes if left untreated, and scientists estimate that, on average, less than 10 percent of victims survive.

The researchers completed their study in order to one day find warning signs that might prevent those at imminent danger of future cardiac arrests. It was the first study to track victims’ attempts to seek medical help in the run up to an attack, in comparison to the population as a whole.

Previous studies have reported that some patients had symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest discomfort and palpitations in advance of a cardiac arrest and contacted the healthcare system, but with no indication of when.