Warning signs precede sudden cardiac arrest

Washington D.C.: If you think that a cardiac arrest knocks at your door all of sudden, then you are mistaken, because warning signs precede it days and weeks before and are often ignored.

The research undertaken by American College of Physicians revealed that that the presence of and response to warning symptoms that occur in the hours, days, and weeks preceding heart attack can be associated with better survival.

Researchers classified the symptoms as chest pain (typical or atypical), difficulty breathing, palpitations, sudden drop in blood pressure/loss of consciousness, and other (including abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting and back pain).

The researchers also found that about one half of patients with available information had warning symptoms in those four weeks that often recurred during the 24 hours before sudden cardiac arrest.

Most patients ignored their symptoms, but the patients who called 911 significantly increased the chances for survival.

The study is published in the Journal Annals of Internal Medicine.