A worrying percentage of people don’t know how to respond to a heart attack

What would you do?

If someone experiences a heart attack, the most important thing to do is immediately contact emergency services. However, according to new research conducted by Opinion Matters, a frightening percentage of people don't know what to do in this situation. Of the 2,004 people surveyed, both in Ireland and in the UK, 35% said they didn't know what to do if someone had a heart attack. Another statistic worth noting is that 4.2% of people said that they would pat the person's back, which is not something that should ever be done in this circumstance. In addition to these figures, the survey found that cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women. According to the Women's Heart Foundation, 8.6 million women worldwide die from heart disease each year and this accounts for a third of all women. Another surprising fact was information from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention which says that almost two-thirds, (64%), of women who die suddenly of coronary heart disease, have no previous symptoms. The research was commissioned by food services company Aramark with the results encouraging the company to produce more wholegrain foods to include higher fibre content, and healthier fats such as omega 3 fish oils, seeds and nuts. Speaking about the findings, the company dietician Elbha Purcell said:

"To make our meals more healthy-heart friendly, we have incorporated the following foods into our menus - porridge, high fibre breakfast cereals, sweet potato, quinoa, wholegrain breads, brown rice and pasta, beans and pulses to name but a few, to increase our wholegrain offer to customers". "These foods as well as being a fantastic source of slow release energy are also a great source of fibre, which is well documented in helping to lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes and colorectal cancer".