"Lack of response after heart attack"

Had a heart attack at 5:00am. Ambulance arrived around 20 mins later. Was made to walk to ambulance and from ambulance into A&E. Received no painkillers until roughly 9:00 am (morphine by mouth). Pain started to subside around 11am.

Didn't see a doctor and receive heart meds until around 1:00 pm. Not sure if the essential Golden Hour means anything at the Royal Hospital. The first cardiac doctor to see me was taken aback that the ambulance crew reported abdominal pain when it was obviously chest pain. Bloods, ECG and echo-scan showed heart not pumping properly and raised troponin levels, with an arrhythmic episode. I have kidney dysfunction due to Vasculitis 3 years ago, so couldn't have an angiogram. How much damage was done having to wait around 8 hours for treatment is anyone's guess.

I found this a terrifying experience and it has made me extremely wary of receiving any help from Chesterfield Royal Hospital in the future. Ringing 999 is not always a life saver it seems. I was walked from A&E into the general waiting area and plonked in a chair - still in agony - but now had an audience of 30 other patients. They found me a bed when I said I felt absolutely terrible and could I lay down somewhere.

Once out of A&E and into the care of the cardiac team things happened quickly and efficiently. At that point I felt much safer. I was diagnosed as having hypercholesteraemia even though my cholesterol is not high and never has been. The use of strong statin medication is baffling. My doctor has reduced the dose considerably after I experienced bad side effects. I believe the ambulance crew require further training as they seem incapable of recognising a man in his sixties having a heart attack at 5:00am.