Peterborough man urges residents not to put their lives at risk after suffering heart attack

Sean Pammenter (50) had just woken up when he suffered the heart attack at his home in Park Farm last Monday.

Thankfully he was able to phone 999 and get life saving first aid - and he is urging others not to risk their lives by delaying treatment if they have chest pains.

His warning comes as Royal Papworth Hospital - where Sean is currently recovering - reveals new figures showing there was a 16 per cent drop-off in people coming forward for symptoms of a heart attack during the first half of 2020 when compared with 2019 (342 versus 408).

Speaking to The Peterborough Telegraph from his hospital bed, Sean, who lives alone, said he believes he would not be alive if he had not got immediate help.

He said: "I woke up last Monday at about 7.40am - it was too early to get up, and I went to the loo, before going back to bed. About 10-15 minutes later I started to get pains in my chest.

"I decided I needed the loo again - I got up and it got much worse. I don't know how I got back to bed.

"I rang 999, and they sent the ambulance out."

Sean described a 'crushing' pain in his chest, and pain in his left arm - classic symptoms of a heart attack.

"When they arrived they put me on an ECG, and said I had had a heart attack. It was blues and twos to Papworth, who were all ready for me when we arrived.

"I needed a bit of morphine on the way to control the pain."

When he arrived he was put under local anaesthetic, and a stent placed in his heart.

He spent most of last week recovering in bed in hospital. but is hoping to be able to go home by the end of the week.

After hearing there had been a dramatic reduction in people attending hospitals for heart attacks, Sean urged people not to take any risks, and to call 999 if they have any doubts.

He said: "I don't think I would still be here if I had not called 999.

"If you think you are having a heart attack, ring 999 and they will fix you. If you go to hospital and you catch COVID, then they can treat that and look after you. If you don't go, then you might not make it, it really is that simple."

Sean was full of praise for the staff at Royal Papworth Hospital, who are doing their best to get him back on his feet.

He said: "The doctors say my heart is OK now, I just need the physio to allow me to go home. The team here have been amazing, looking after me. THey have been incredible."

Wayne Hurst, Head of Nursing for Cardiology at Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: "Heart attacks don’t just suddenly stop, so we can only assume in the spring that people were still experiencing symptoms of heart attacks – intense chest pains, dull aches in their left-hand side - but were reluctant to come forward because they thought they were helping to protect the NHS by staying at home.

“We are worried that this might happen again in the winter so we want to reassure people that the NHS is open and ready to treat you. Our emergency heart attack pathway has remained open throughout 2020 and this will be the case throughout the winter, too.”

Dr David Begley, Divisional Clinical Director for Cardiology at Royal Papworth Hospital said: "“It is absolutely vital that patients who need emergency treatment for heart attacks get to

hospital as quickly as possible. Calling for help on 999 and asking for an ambulance as soon as you have symptoms really could mean the difference between life and death,”

Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is the specialist heart and lung hospital serving the East of England region with some nationally provided services such as heart and

lung transplants, pulmonary endarterectomy surgery and the UK’s biggest sleep centre. The hospital treats more than 50,000 patients each year and is a world-leader in

treatment for heart attacks, with some of the best international outcomes.