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 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.”
Eckhardt and her colleagues are working to set the record straight by first understanding how the public perceives chest pain. In a recent article in Heart & Lung, they explore the common misconceptions about heart attack symptoms. 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.
“We used to say men have typical symptoms and women have atypical symptoms,” Eckhardt said. “We’re trying very hard to move away from that language now. The most common symptom for men and women is chest-related. We created confusion by saying women are somehow completely different.”
Changing public perception isn’t easy, but it’s a mission that drives Eckhardt and her colleagues. Three years ago, she helped develop the “Chest Pain Conception Questionnaire” to help determine how everyday people view heart attacks.
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.
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“We often tell people chest pain is a symptom of a heart attack, but what we don’t tell them is what they might actually feel,” Eckhardt said. “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.
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“The longer you wait, the more likely it is you’ll have irreversible damage to the heart,” Eckhardt said. “So, if we can determine what people think a heart attack will be like, perhaps we can help the medical community better triage and ask questions. It’s not just ‘Are you having chest pain?’; it’s also ‘Do you have any discomfort, pressure, tightness, squeezing?’”
Eckhardt is driven to provide clear, accurate messaging on the subject. It’s a goal that has guided her throughout her career—she recalls being in middle school when her grandfather was rushed to the hospital after a heart attack. Fortunately, he underwent a successful bypass surgery and lived for another 20-plus years.
“That experience sparked my interest early on,” Eckhardt said.
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
Celebrating its 130th anniversary in 2025, The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of the thriving Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. With a student body of over 41,000, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation’s top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 280,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.