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

introductionGlobally 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.

aimThe 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.

methodA 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.

resultsA 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.

conclusionThis 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.