National Awareness Program Urges Americans to 'Act in Time to Heart
Attack Signs'
NEW YORK, Jan. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Many U.S. adults lack critical knowledge
about heart attack warning signs beyond the so-called "Hollywood Heart Attack"
-- the sudden, crushing chest pain that is often depicted in the movies and on
television, according to a new Harris Interactive(R) survey commissioned by
PDL BioPharma, Inc. This knowledge gap, coupled with a "wait and see" approach
in seeking timely treatment, may contribute to the nearly one-half million
heart-attack related deaths in the United States annually.(1)
According to the survey:
-- Only two in five (40%) U.S. adults would seek medical attention if
they experienced common heart attack symptoms (sickness to the
stomach, lightheadedness, and pain or soreness in the arm, back or
neck) for several minutes -- the majority (59%) would wait and see if
the symptoms passed, and only 14% would call 9-1-1.
-- Only about half of U.S. adults (56%) think calling 9-1-1 (or their
10-digit local emergency number) for an ambulance is the first step
to take if they (or someone they are with) are experiencing heart
attack symptoms.
-- Only 35% of U.S. adults who have been diagnosed with a heart attack,
or have a friend or family member who has been diagnosed with a heart
attack, called 9-1-1 (or their 10-digit local emergency number) as
the first step.
-- Less than half of U.S. adults (48%) realize that a heart attack can
be stopped once it has begun.
To combat the ongoing awareness gap about heart attacks and how to
respond, Act in Time to Heart Attack Signs, a National Heart Lung and Blood
Institute (NHLBI) public education campaign, is being revitalized through the
sponsorship of PDL BioPharma. The campaign, originally launched in 2001 by the
NHLBI, urges Americans to learn the various warning signs of a heart attack
and call 9-1-1 immediately in order to save lives.
"The vision of Act in Time has always been to save lives by increasing the
woefully low number of heart attack patients who are treated within the first
hour of experiencing symptoms," said Elizabeth G. Nabel, M.D., Director of
NHLBI. "While we've made great strides in educating Americans about heart
attack warning signs in order to drive earlier treatment, this survey
demonstrates that there's still work to be done to win the war against heart
attacks."
An estimated 1.2 million Americans suffer heart attacks each year and
approximately 494,400 of them die. Nearly half of heart attack deaths occur
before the person reaches the hospital. Most heart attack victims wait two or
more hours after symptom onset before seeking medical help, often because they
do not realize they're having a heart attack.(2)
"Tragically, many patients, expecting to experience sudden, crushing chest
pain, don't recognize the less dramatic symptoms of a heart attack, don't seek
prompt treatment and, therefore, don't receive powerful life-saving therapies
in time," said William E. Boden, M.D., national spokesperson for Act in Time.
"We hope to reverse that trend with this education program."
According to Dr. Boden, Director of Cardiovascular Clinical Trials at
Hartford Hospital, and Professor of Medicine, University of Connecticut School
of Medicine, the most common heart attack warning signs include pain or
discomfort in the center of the chest; discomfort in one or both arms, back,
neck, jaw, or stomach; shortness of breath; and other signs, such as breaking
out in a cold sweat, nausea, and light-headedness.
The survey also found that:
-- While 85% of U.S. adults recognized chest discomfort as a heart
attack warning sign, significantly fewer adults are aware that
discomfort in the neck (36%), back (32%), jaw (30%) or stomach (23%)
are also symptoms of a heart attack.
-- Less than half (46%) of U.S. adults who have been diagnosed with a
heart attack or have a friend or family member who has been diagnosed
with a heart attack indicated that they/their friend or family
members actually experienced chest discomfort.
"It is essential that Americans become familiar with all of the heart
attack warning signs, because every second counts when it comes to a heart
attack," Dr. Boden emphasized. "Clot-dissolving drug therapy or dilation of a
blocked coronary artery with balloon angioplasty and stenting can stop, or
interrupt, a heart attack, limiting or preventing debilitating or deadly heart
muscle damage. However, these treatments are most effective when administered
within one hour of symptom onset. "Dr. Boden went on to explain that delay in
symptom recognition will inevitably delay prompt treatment, hence, patient
education about heart attack warning signs is paramount.
The Act in Time campaign offers informative, easy-to-read educational
materials for the public including a brochure, wallet card and educational
video. Several hospitals and health systems across the country also will be
distributing the Act in Time materials and conducting related education events
in 2006. Information on obtaining the Act in Time materials, as well as
in-depth results of the PDL BioPharma survey conducted by Harris Interactive
can be found at http://www.actintime2006.com.
About PDL BioPharma
PDL BioPharma, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering,
developing and commercializing innovative therapies for severe or life
threatening illnesses. The company currently markets and sells a portfolio of
leading products in the acute-care hospital setting in the United States and
Canada and generates royalties through licensing agreements with top-tier
biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies based on its pioneering humanized
antibody technology. Currently, PDL BioPharma's diverse late-stage product
pipeline includes six investigational compounds in Phase 2 or Phase 3 clinical
development for hepatorenal syndrome, inflammation and autoimmune diseases,
cardiovascular disorders and cancer. For more information, go to
http://www.pdlbiopharma.com .
About the Harris Interactive(R) Poll
Harris Interactive(R) fielded the online survey between December 16 and
20, 2005 among a nationwide sample of 2,515 U.S. adults 18 years of age or
older -- of whom 1,370 have been diagnosed with a heart attack or have a
friend or family member who has been diagnosed with a heart attack. The data
were weighted to be representative of the total U.S. adult population on the
basis of region, age within gender, education, household income,
race/ethnicity and propensity to be online. In theory, with a probability
sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results
for the overall sample of adults have a sampling error of plus or minus
3 percentage points. Sampling error for those who have been diagnosed with a
heart attack or have a friend or family member who has been diagnosed is plus
or minus 4 percentage points. This online sample is not a probability sample.
About Harris Interactive(R)
Harris Interactive Inc. (http://www.harrisinteractive.com), based in Rochester,
New York, is the 13th largest and the fastest-growing market research firm in
the world, most widely known for The Harris Poll(R) and for its pioneering
leadership in the online market research industry.
(1) AHA 2005 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics
(2) AHA 2005 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics
SOURCE National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
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Related links:
http://www.pdl.com
CONTACT:
Liz Falcone, +1-415-946-1075, or
lfalcone@weisscommpartners.com, or Karen Halsey, +1-415-946-1077,
or khalsey@weisscommpartners.com, both of WeissComm Partners, for
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
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