Heart attacks don’t follow a Hollywood script
Hollywood has 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, says Ann Eckhardt, a nursing professor and researcher at The University of Texas at Arlington.
“We did ourselves a disservice in the 1980s and 1990s with what’s known as ‘The Hollywood Heart Attack,’” Dr. Eckhardt said. “That’s unfortunately not real life. It’s not always intense. Sometimes it’s just discomfort that doesn’t feel quite ...