Monash University study finds Australians don’t know warning signs of a heart attack

A decade on from the Heart Foundation’s national Warning Signs Campaign, a new study reveals a steep decline in awareness of heart attack symptoms – and that may be deadly.

A staggering one in five Australians cannot name one symptom of a heart attack and only 57 per cent recognise chest pain is a vital warning sign.

Worryingly, one in two adults surveyed for a new study by Monash University said they would wait to call an ambulance, despite having symptoms.

The study, by Monash’s School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, set out to examine awareness during and following the Heart Foundation’s successful Warning Signs Campaign that ran from 2010-2013.

It reported a steep decline, saying at the height of the campaign around 80 per cent of adults in Australia could name a heart attack symptom. Every year since then that number has continued to steadily drop.

Lead author Associate Professor Janet Bray from Monash University says every Australian should be able to recognise heart attack symptoms. Supplied

The study surveyed more 100,000 people aged 30 to 59 years of age and found by 2020 lifesaving awareness of symptoms was down to just over 50 per cent.

This is despite the fact that heart attacks are the biggest killer of adults in Australia and every day 155 Australians have a heart attack or suffer angina (chest pain).

In an Australian first, the research team is now running trials in eight Victorian regions considered high risk for coronary disease and heart attacks to investigate if community education delivered via social media and in person to community groups can help turn the tide. These regions were selected because they have known high heart attack risks and low ambulance use.

Called the Heart Matters study, it is a National Health & Medical Research Council-funded partnership between Monash University, the Heart Foundation, Ambulance Victoria and the Victorian Department of Health.

If successful, lead researcher Associate Professor Janet Bray says, the program may roll out across the country.

She says education programs are essential and help save lives.

“Every Australian should be able to recognise heart attack symptoms and … respond quickly and call triple-0 for an ambulance (000),” Assoc. Prof Bray said.

“Our Monash research shows people who attribute their symptoms to their heart go to hospital faster.”

While alarmed at the steep decline in public awareness of symptoms, Assoc. Prof Bray said it was not surprising because it had been 10 years since the campaign ended and also since 2020 the public health messaging had been focused on Covid.

“What we need now are new approaches to promote and sustain knowledge (of heart attack symptoms), and to ensure people act appropriately and promptly if symptoms occur,” she said.

Assoc. Prof Bray said people are at risk of serious illness or death due to their lack of knowledge.

In total 101,936 adults in Australia were surveyed as part of the study, with the results published online this month in Heart, Lung and Circulation.

The team looked at the ability of people aged 30-59 to name heart attack symptoms and found the group least likely to name one symptom were young men with no cardiovascular risk factors who spoke a language other than English at home.

Assoc. Prof Bray said social media was key in getting the message out to Australians.

“We are making all of the videos and heart attack action plans available for people to view on the Heart Foundation’s website,” she said.

“Social media engagement will continue beyond the trial. It is a really effective means of getting the message out there and in other languages.”

5 warning signs of a heart attack

• Chest discomfort or pain (angina). This can feel like uncomfortable pressure, aching, numbness, squeezing, fullness or pain in your chest. This discomfort can spread to your arms, neck, jaw or back. It can last for several minutes or come and go

• Dizziness, light-headedness, feeling faint or feeling anxious

• Nausea, indigestion, vomiting

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing – with or without chest discomfort

• Sweating or a cold sweat.

• If feeling worse or not better after 10 minutes, call triple-0 (000)

Source: Heart Foundation