New Delhi: The dramatic portrayal of heart attacks in movies and TV shows may be doing more harm than good, according to health researchers. Experts are warning that the “Hollywood heart attack”—where someone clutches their chest and suddenly collapses—is often far from how a real heart attack feels.
Ann Eckhardt, a nursing professor and researcher at The University of Texas at Arlington, said these misleading portrayals can cause dangerous delays in treatment. “It’s not always intense or sudden,” she explained. “Sometimes it’s just a strange feeling of discomfort that people don’t take seriously. Unfortunately, the longer you wait to get help, the more damage your heart can suffer.”
Eckhardt and her research team recently published findings in the journal Heart & Lung, where they explored how the public understands and misinterprets chest pain and heart attack symptoms.
A major part of the problem, the study revealed, is that many people rely on what they’ve seen in movies to recognise a heart attack. Nearly 75% of survey participants admitted that their idea of a heart attack came from television or film.
But the truth is, real-life symptoms can be subtle. The most common symptom for both men and women is chest discomfort, not necessarily sharp pain. Eckhardt said, “We’ve confused people by saying women have ‘atypical’ symptoms. In reality, men and women often experience similar signs, like pressure, tightness, or an unusual sensation in the chest.”
To better understand public perception, Eckhardt helped develop the Chest Pain Conception Questionnaire, which gauges how people interpret symptoms. Their findings suggest that improving public education on what a heart attack feels like could help save lives.
She emphasised that even mild discomfort, squeezing, or pressure in the chest could be a sign of a heart attack, and should never be ignored. “Don’t wait. The longer you delay care, the more likely you are to have long-term heart damage,” Eckhardt warned.
Health experts hope that by reshaping how chest pain is communicated in both media and medical settings, people will seek help sooner, and more lives can be saved.