Watch your heart attack!

Jul 29 2008

Dear Editor, – Billboards going up across Scotland today (Tuesday) herald a TV first as British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland invites the nation to ‘watch their own heart attack’ through a television event that could help save lives.

This compelling viewing experience will air on ITV1 on August 10 at 9.17pm during the Midsomer Murders break to raise awareness of heart attack symptoms, and could be the single most important two minutes of television people will ever see, says the nation’s heart charity.

Every year in Scotland almost 15,000 people suffer a heart attack. The BHF Scotland campaign will show people how important it is to recognise heart attack symptoms and urge people to call 999 immediately when they experience them.

The campaign also has the support of the Scottish Ambulance Service. whose Medical Dispatch Centres deal with over 38,000 calls to 999 about chest pain every year, making it the number one reason for calls in Scotland.

Treatment starts as soon as the call is answered, and the operator’s questions are vital in informing the medical advice given over the phone while the ambulance is rushing to the patient. In the case of a cardiac arrest, the combination of early medical advice, such as cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, and the skills and expertise of our crews when they arrive, can make the difference between life and death and significantly influence the quality of life after recovery.

Supporting the campaign is well-known television presenter Angela Rippon (64) who lost her father from a heart attack three years ago.

People in Perth will be able to see a billboard publicising the TV event at Perth railway station.

Marjory Burns,

Director of BHF Scotland.