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Newswise — Every year, an estimated 700,000 Americans have a first heart attack, with another 500,000 suffering a recurrent attack.

About 40 percent of these people die as a result. However, many of these individuals might live if heart attack victims and bystanders recognize symptoms and call 911, said lead author Henraya McGruder, Ph.D., an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

In a survey of 33,059 adults, most ages 25 to 64, McGruder and co-authors found that while knowledge of heart attack symptoms is poor within the general population, it is especially poor among African-Americans and Hispanics yet heart attacks are more prevalent among these populations than among whites. 

“Our research highlights the importance of targeting these groups with education, so they understand the signs of heart attack and know what to do,” she said.

 “The key to survival is knowledge and awareness of symptoms, because lifesaving treatments must be given within a certain time window.” 

The study appears in the spring issue of the journal Ethnicity and Disease, the journal of the International Society on Hypertension in Blacks. 

McGruder and CDC colleagues looked at data from the 2001 National Health Interview Survey, in which participants indicated their awareness of heart attack symptoms and the need to call 911 to get help fast.  

Respondents indicated their ability to recognize the following five signs of cardiac distress: (1) chest pain or discomfort; (2) pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck or back; (3) pain or discomfort in arms and shoulders; (4) feeling weak, lightheaded, or faint; and (5) shortness of breath. 

“Knowing the signs and symptoms — and knowing to call 911 — will decrease death and disability associated with heart attack,” McGruder said, noting also the importance of traveling to the hospital by ambulance.  

“Research suggests that patients arriving by ambulance received quicker care and a shorter time to treatment, compared to those who arrived via personal transportation,” she said. 

“This paper certainly adds ammunition to the argument that we need to build more culturally appropriate public information health campaigns,” said Brian Smedley, Ph.D., research director and co-founder of The Opportunity Agenda.  

“This paper does an important service in pointing to the need for patient education,” Smedley said.

“If we want to reduce the disproportionate burden of heart attack in communities of people of color, however, there are fundamental, structural issues we need to address.

"We also need sound public policies that can help to ensure that everyone has appropriate access to health care resources.” 

One problem, Smedley said, is that many hospitals have closed in minority neighborhoods.

Even with increased awareness of the symptoms of heart attack and knowing to call 911, minorities could still face longer travel times to get to an emergency room. 

Ethnicity & Disease is a quarterly medical journal studying the ethnic patterns of disease. For more information, contact ethndis@ishib.org or visit http://www.ishib.org/ED_index.asp 

McGruder HF, et al. Racial and ethnic disparities associated with knowledge of symptoms of heart attack and use of 911: National Health Interview Survey, 2001. Ethn Dis 18(2), 2008.