New research conducted by YouGov on behalf of Siemens Healthineers¹ reveals Americans’ devotion to football fandom could put their heart health at risk. According to the survey, roughly 1 in 5 Americans (21%) would hesitate to leave a professional sporting event to go to the hospital if they suspected they were having a heart attack. Among American football fans, however, 28% would hesitate to leave a professional sporting event to go to the hospital if they suspected they were having a heart attack. This number only declined to 19% among football fans who themselves have already visited the ER with symptoms of a heart attack.

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Siemens Healthineers commissioned a survey with YouGov to pulse check Americans’ views about heart attacks and risk awareness. Many of the devout football fans indicate they would leave their worry about heart attacks at the gates. (Graphic: Business Wire)

The survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults sought to pulse check Americans’ worry about heart attacks, whether they would be interested in learning more about their risk of heart attacks, and the likelihood they would act on information about that risk.

The survey revealed that more than half of Americans (54%) have, or know someone who has, visited the emergency room with suspicions of a heart attack. When asked who they worry about having a heart attack within the next year, 49% indicated they are worried about a family member having a heart attack and 35% are worried about having a heart attack themselves. Yet, when it comes to attending professional sporting events, many of the devout football fans indicate they would leave their worry at the gates.

“Americans may not know the importance of acting quickly when heart attack symptoms begin. It’s important to seek help as soon as possible if you suspect you might be having a heart attack to minimize heart muscle damage—there can be severe consequences for waiting,” said Ian Lentnek, MD, cardiologist, and medical affairs director at Siemens Healthineers. “As blood flow to the heart is blocked, heart muscle tissue begins to die. Significant damage can occur in less than an hour, so don’t wait to seek medical attention if you suspect you might be having a heart attack.”

The survey also indicates Americans would welcome more information about their risk of having a heart attack. Just over two-thirds of Americans (67%) would want to know if they are at risk of having a heart attack within the next year. Having information about their risk might also lead to behavior change: 75% of Americans agree that if they had information about their future heart attack risk, they'd be more compelled to make necessary lifestyle modifications to reduce their risk.

“These findings mirror Americans’ growing interest in having information about their health that they can act on,” said Dr. Lentnek. “The good news is this predictive risk assessment is possible. A blood test used in ERs across the country can help assess patients’ risk of cardiac events for up to a year. Offering patients data-backed information about their risk could improve how patients respond to clinician recommendations such as seeking immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms—chest pain or shortness of breath, for example.”

The test Dr. Lentnek refers to is the Atellica IM High-Sensitivity Troponin I (TnIH) blood test, developed and manufactured by Siemens Healthineers. TnIH is part of the routine evaluation for patients presenting to the ER with symptoms of a heart attack. It now can help patients who are not having a heart attack as the only high-sensitivity troponin I blood test available in the U.S. that can be used as a prognostication tool.² For patients, this means their test results can now also help assess their impending risk of a major cardiac event or death within the next 365 days.

Detailed survey findings are available here.

1 All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1118 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 12th - 13th December 2024. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+).

2 Results now can be used as an aid in prognosis for 30-, 90-, 182-, and 365-day all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in patients presenting with signs and symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This claim applies to the Atellica IM TnIH assay and is intended for U.S. audiences only.

Siemens Healthineers pioneers breakthroughs in healthcare. For everyone. Everywhere. Sustainably. The company is a global provider of healthcare equipment, solutions and services, with activities in more than 180 countries and direct representation in more than 70. The group comprises Siemens Healthineers AG, listed as SHL in Frankfurt, Germany, and its subsidiaries. As a leading medical technology company, Siemens Healthineers is committed to improving access to healthcare for underserved communities worldwide and is striving to overcome the most threatening diseases. The company is principally active in the areas of imaging, diagnostics, cancer care and minimally invasive therapies, augmented by digital technology and artificial intelligence. In fiscal 2024, which ended on September 30, 2024, Siemens Healthineers had approximately 72,000 employees worldwide and generated revenue of around €22.4 billion. Further information is available at www.siemens-healthineers.com.

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