Despite the well-known risks, women experiencing heart attack symptoms are more likely than men to hesitate before calling triple 0 (000), according to a new study from Monash University.
This delay could be contributing to worse outcomes for women, who already face a higher risk of complications following a heart attack.
The study, led by Associate Professor Kathryn Eastwood and published in the Emergency Medicine Journal, analysed data from more than 34,000 Australians.
It found that while women were more likely than men to call 000 if they suspected a heart attack (70.4% vs 62.7%), they were less comfortable doing so (69.1% vs 76.7%).
Why women wait
When asked why they would hesitate to call 000, women were more likely than men to:
- Worry about being a burden on ambulance services.
- Want to be certain it was a heart attack before seeking help.
- Prefer to contact their GP first.
- Believe they were at low risk of a heart attack.
Other factors linked to hesitation across sexes included language barriers, cardiovascular risk factors, poor symptom knowledge, and unclear health insurance status regarding emergency callouts.
Associate Professor Eastwood highlights the global disparities in how heart attacks are recognised and treated in women.
“Women’s symptoms are often more subtle than men’s, leading both patients and healthcare professionals to misinterpret them as non-cardiac,” she says.
What this means for PAs
The findings from the study indicate that more education is needed to improve people’s comfort with calling the emergency services early when they have cardiac symptoms and that an opportunity exists to target this education to particular subgroups within each sex to reduce delays in seeking medical treatment.
Pharmacy assistants play a key role in educating customers about heart attack symptoms and the importance of calling 000 immediately.
Encouraging women to trust their instincts and seek emergency care — rather than waiting for certainty — could help save lives.
As Associate Professor Eastwood says: “Call first, decide later.”
