Public awareness of early symptoms of acute myocardial infarction among Saudi population

Abstract

Introduction: Globally speaking, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality, with coronary artery disease (CAD) contributing to half of the cases. A major complication of CAD is myocardial infarction (MI). The clinical outcomes of MI are predominantly time-dependent; therefore, it is paramount that the general public is familiar with the early symptoms of MI. Aim: The main objective is to gauge the local public awareness of the early symptoms of MI, and their knowledge of the best course of action to be taken from the onset of symptoms. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted using google forms. Participants were randomly selected through multiple social media platforms. The study included Saudi citizens who were 18 years or older, with no current or prior experience in the health care field. The questionnaire assessed the participants' awareness of 14 risk factors for CAD. The variables investigated were participants' knowledge of the symptoms, causes, appropriate course of action to be taken, and the risk factors of CAD. Results: A total of 1689 participants were involved in this study. Sixty percent were females, and 29.2% were in the age group of 18–24 years. Seventy-three percent of the participants knew the definition of heart attack, and 90% knew that chest pain is a symptom of a heart attack. Approximately, 75% of the participants recognized that hypertension, cigarette smoking, and high cholesterol are the risk factors of MI. In terms of knowledge, Al Madinah province obtained the highest score when compared with other regions. Conclusion: This study showed the overall knowledge and awareness of CAD was suboptimal, indicating that awareness initiatives and patient education of CAD need more work in Saudi Arabia, especially in high-risk groups and lower education groups. More studies are needed to identify the efficiency and population access of different approaches for CAD awareness.

Assessing Awareness and Actions Must Be Taken in Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Cross-Sectional Study on the General Population in Alahssa, Saudi Arabia

“…Our study observed that 74.1% of participants had a good knowledge level, while 25.9% had a poor knowledge level. This distribution is similar to findings in other studies in America and Saudi Arabia that also identified a knowledge gap in a significant portion of the population [ 12 - 13 ]. This suggests that efforts to improve awareness should be tailored to address the needs of those with poor knowledge.…”

“…The current study found that 73.05% of participants had some level of knowledge about AMI. This level of awareness is consistent with global trends, where two studies in America and Saudi Arabia have reported awareness levels ranging from 60% to 80% [ 12 - 13 ]. It indicates that awareness of AMI is a concern across various regions and populations.…”

Awareness of Myocardial Infarction Symptoms and Risk Factors in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Likewise, a significant percentage of participants recognized smoking, obesity, and hypertension as risk factors for MI. Our study reported that 90.3% of participants identified smoking as a risk factor, while Basham et al found that 85% of participants were aware of this association; however, the percentage difference could be attributed to the fact that the study of Basham et al had a sample size of 1,689 participants [16].…”

Ethnicity affects the risk factors of acute myocardial infarction and should be considered in educational programs

“…( 31 ). Additionally, the awareness is poorer in the Saudi population ( 32 , 33 ) than in the MENA region population including Lebanon ( 34 ) and Oman ( 35 ). Spreading essential awareness among the public is warranted to minimize the incidence and mortality due to CAD in developing countries including Saudi Arabia ( 33 ).…”