Symptom attribution and perception of urgency for treatment, among men and women with acute coronary syndrome in Karachi Pakistan
Location
Auditorium Pond Side
Start Date
26-2-2014 10:30 AM
Abstract
Introduction: Not only the occurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has increased with time, but it has also emerged as one of the most life threatening conditions, when not treated timely. Timely treatment of ACS largely depends upon early symptom recognition, which includes patients' ability to attribute their symptoms to the cardiac origin and their ability to perceive their symptoms as very urgent to be treated. Attribution to the heart and perception of urgency becomes even more difficult to achieve in case of atypical presentation of ACS. The objective of this study was to compare ACS symptom attribution and perception of urgency between genders.
Methodology: This comparative, cross-sectional study was conducted on 249 ACS patients at the Aga Khan University Hospital and at the Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases, between February and April, 2011. Data was collected through the modified ‘Response to Symptoms Questionnaire’, and it was analyzed using comparative analyses.
Results: Chest pain and palpitations were the most frequently attributed symptoms to a cardiac problem; whereas, epigastric pain was the symptom least attributed to cardiac problem, by both men and women. The comparative analysis showed that a similar proportion of men and women attributed the symptoms to a cardiac problem; no significant difference was found between the genders in attribution of any of the symptoms to a cardiac problem. Significant difference was found between men and women in terms of perceived urgency for the treatment of dyspnea, nausea/vomiting, sweating, palpitations, and ghabrahat (fidgetiness). More men than women perceived these symptoms to be very urgent for treatment.
Conclusion: Overall, few men and women were able to attribute their symptoms to the cardiac origin, especially atypical symptoms were the least attributed to the cardiac problem; however, significantly more men than women perceived their ACS symptoms to be very urgent for treatment.
Keywords: Acute Coronary Syndrome, Symptom attribution, Perception of Urgency for treatment, Pakistan
Symptom attribution and perception of urgency for treatment, among men and women with acute coronary syndrome in Karachi Pakistan
Auditorium Pond Side
Introduction: Not only the occurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has increased with time, but it has also emerged as one of the most life threatening conditions, when not treated timely. Timely treatment of ACS largely depends upon early symptom recognition, which includes patients' ability to attribute their symptoms to the cardiac origin and their ability to perceive their symptoms as very urgent to be treated. Attribution to the heart and perception of urgency becomes even more difficult to achieve in case of atypical presentation of ACS. The objective of this study was to compare ACS symptom attribution and perception of urgency between genders.
Methodology: This comparative, cross-sectional study was conducted on 249 ACS patients at the Aga Khan University Hospital and at the Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases, between February and April, 2011. Data was collected through the modified ‘Response to Symptoms Questionnaire’, and it was analyzed using comparative analyses.
Results: Chest pain and palpitations were the most frequently attributed symptoms to a cardiac problem; whereas, epigastric pain was the symptom least attributed to cardiac problem, by both men and women. The comparative analysis showed that a similar proportion of men and women attributed the symptoms to a cardiac problem; no significant difference was found between the genders in attribution of any of the symptoms to a cardiac problem. Significant difference was found between men and women in terms of perceived urgency for the treatment of dyspnea, nausea/vomiting, sweating, palpitations, and ghabrahat (fidgetiness). More men than women perceived these symptoms to be very urgent for treatment.
Conclusion: Overall, few men and women were able to attribute their symptoms to the cardiac origin, especially atypical symptoms were the least attributed to the cardiac problem; however, significantly more men than women perceived their ACS symptoms to be very urgent for treatment.
Keywords: Acute Coronary Syndrome, Symptom attribution, Perception of Urgency for treatment, Pakistan