The public conceives of acute coronary syndrome-related chest pain in various ways.
Science, Art, Litt, Science based Art & Science Communication
Real heart attacks won't be like the ones shown in Hollywood or Bollywoood
Movies and TV serials shaped how many people imagine a heart attack—someone clutching their chest and collapsing dramatically. But those portrayals are misleading and shouldn't be expected, say the experts after conducting research (1).
That's unfortunately not real life. It's not always intense. Sometimes it's just discomfort that doesn't feel quite right, so people tend to wait to see a doctor. The longer you wait, the more likely you are to have negative consequences after your heart attack, they say.
The highlights of the study:
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The public expects ACS-related chest pain to be severe and overwhelming.
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Most participants expected chest pain to be felt in the left or center of the chest.
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Modest differences were observed in men and women’s chest pain conceptions.
Many patients don't experience the dramatic, big-screen version of a heart attack. Instead, symptoms can be complex and even mild. Another widespread myth, the researchers note, is that heart attacks look drastically different in men versus women.
The study revealed that nearly 75% of respondents had consumed heart attack information through sources like TV or movies, highlighting the need for clearer, more accurate educational materials on chest pain and related symptoms.
Health care workers often tell people chest pain is a symptom of a heart attack, but what they don't tell them is what they might actually feel.
The truth is ... for a lot of people, it's not pain in the traditional sense. It's more discomfort, pressure, tightness. They just don't feel quite right, but they can't really put their finger on it.
That uncertainty often causes people to delay seeking medical attention.
But the longer you wait, the more likely it is you'll have irreversible damage to the heart, say the researchers.
Medical community should be trained in such a way that they ask the right questions - it's not just 'Are you having chest pain?'; it's also 'Do you have any discomfort, pressure, tightness, squeezing?'"
Yes, that is how real heart attacks look like!
Footnotes:
1. https://www.heartandlung.org/article/S0147-9563(25)00104-9/abstract
2. John R. Blakeman et al, Gender differences in the public's conceptions of acute coronary syndrome-related chest pain, Heart & Lung (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2025.04.029
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