Standard Course: Section 2
Why Don't People Seek Immediate Medical Care?
The individual may not perceive the mild
discomfort as life-threatening. Mild symptoms are easy to ignore. We hope the discomfort will just go away.
People may confuse the early warning signs of heart attack with heartburn or indigestion and self-medicate.
First responders or bystanders may be easily swayed by the denial of the person.
People may not understand the importance of a quick response. They may not know that the majority of damage may take place in the first two hours of a heart attack.
People may be concerned that their mild symptoms are "not important" or the attention is "unwarranted."