EHAC is an awareness strategy that encourages intervention early and so prevents death and damage in patients with heart attacks. Central chest discomfort not perceived as chest pain and therefore not perceived by the individual as important enough to be checked out early. The discomfort comes on with activity and goes away with rest. Symptoms are usually intermittent, coming and going. This deceives the individual into thinking that the discomfort will go away and not come back.
Time is lost.
The person experiencing these symptoms is usually not recognizable in a crowd, so the usual formula for early recognition is not there. The first responder is not under peer pressure to take time to help the victim, thus enabling the denial process. Finally, EHAC is not currently part of the Chain of Survival. It is postulated that adding this fifth link for early recognition and response will go a long way in strengthening the Chain of Survival and preventing many Americans from suffering death and disability from heart attack. May 15 -17,1994.