Hiker who went to hospital with ‘indigestion’ had heart attack
A MAN from West Lancashire who went to hospital with feelings of indigestion ended up suffering a heart attack.
Elliot Cosgrove was ‘badgered’ by his wife to go to hospital after getting ‘heartburn.’
The 54-year-old, from Burscough, went to Southport A&E to be monitored before he ended up having a heart attack.
Now 60 years old, Elliot has spoken of his experience as the NHS this week launches a campaign to encourage people to dial 999 when they are having early signs of a heart attack.
He said: “I’m at that age where I only have to look at a pie or a pasty and I get heartburn, so I didn’t pay a lot of attention.
“I actually ended up having a heart attack in the hospital. I remember they were coming in to give me a chest x-ray and I said ‘oh, I don’t feel very well,’ and that was it.
“They were so great, I had the procedure done on a Friday and I was out walking the dog on Saturday afternoon. I am just so indebted to them, when you think what the outcome could have been.
“I would just say to anyone who is experiencing any symptoms at all not to ignore it, just get straight onto 999. Don’t hesitate.”
New NHS research also shows 68% of those surveyed in the North West understood pain in the chest is a symptom of a heart attack, 48% knew sweating was a symptom and only 29% understood feeling weak, lightheaded (30%) or a feeling of general unease (32%) were also symptoms.
Fellow Lancastrian John Price, 73, also suddenly experienced a pain in his throat when he was walking with his wife on holiday, which quickly subsided.
A few weeks later he visited his doctor to ask about it, thinking it was acid, but John was sent to a rapid chest pain clinic.
Further tests showed the Banks resident had a blockage and needed a triple heart bypass, which if he didn’t get within 12-months he would have a “massive heart attack”.