Reasons for delaying more than one hour before calling for medical help
| Reasons | All cases (n=235) | Men (n=163) | Women (n=72) | PMH of MI (n=45) | PMH of angina alone (n=49) | No cardiac history (n=140) |
| Thought problem would go away | 116 | 86 | 30 | 23 | 23 | 70 |
| Miscellaneous | 88 | 58 | 30 | 22 | 15 | 50 |
| Didn't think it was serious | 69 | 43 | 23 | 4 | 16 | 49 |
| Tried own treatment first | 63 | 41 | 22 | 11 | 23 | 29 |
| Had it before, usually got better | 0 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 5 |
| Didn't want to make a fuss | 15 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 11 |
| At social event, waited till at home | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| At work, waited till at home | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Bad experience of doctors | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Waited for 2nd lay opinion | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Waited for civilised hour | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Didn't want to disturb GP | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Fear of unknown | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Not confident to phone as an emergency | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Columns greater than 100%, as more than one reason could be given per person.
GP, general practitioner; MI, myocardial infarction; PMH, past medical history