A heart attack is the second most claimed for critical illness. Statistics show that around about 70% of victims of a heart attack will survive if seen in accident and emergency within an hour of experiencing symptoms. Also, it tends to be predominately men that are victims; this is reflected by the claims made to insurance companies from people with critical illness cover.
The heart is the main, strongest muscular organ of the body situated behind the breastbone and extending over to the left side of the chest. Its purpose is to pump blood, through the various blood vessels, to all areas of the body. It is made up of cardiac muscle which is an involuntary muscle tissue only found in this organ. This is responsible for the rhythmic heartbeat that keeps the blood flowing through the body from approximately one month of conception until we die. The purpose of this continual flow of blood is to carry oxygen and nutrients to all the body’s tissues via the arteries and remove waste products via the veins.
Deoxygenated blood will enter the heart on the right hand side and becomes oxygenated, then exits the heart on the left hand side to travel around the body delivering oxygen. The interruption of this will result in severe consequences.
A heart attack is commonly caused by a reduction of the blood supply to the heart. This may be as a result of a narrowing of the arteries or due to a blockage by a blood clot. Part of the heart muscle becomes damaged or dies as a result of not receiving sufficient oxygen. Characteristic symptoms that may be an indication that you are possibly having a heart attack are;
- Severe and constricting pain in the chest which may radiate down the left arm and up into the left side of the neck.
- Shortness of breath.
- Weak or irregular pulse.
However, these symptoms may not always constitute a heart attack and the diagnosis of such will need to be made.
The diagnosis of a heart attack will be made by a cardiologist. The patient will be given an ‘ECG’ which will show if there has been damage to the heart. Blood tests will be carried out to show it there are abnormal levels of certain chemicals known as ‘cardiac enzymes’ which would indicate a problem with the heart, not necessarily a heart attack. However, elevated levels of a protein Troponin, found in the blood, is a good indicator that there is damage to the heart muscle.
An insurance company will only payout a critical illness claim on a heart attack upon receipt of confirmation that your heart muscle had been permanently damaged as a result of a heart attack. The diagnosis will have to have been made by a cardiologist providing evidence that the heart attack as taken place and roughly when, to confirm that it occurred during the time you were covered by the policy.
