Heart Attack in Media: How Entertainment Shapes Public Perceptions of Heart Disease

By Mariana Kessler

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels [5]. In 2022, CVDs represented approximately 32% of global deaths: it is the leading cause of death worldwide [5], which makes its representation in the media particularly important. Films and literature play a significant role in shaping public perceptions about health and disease: through the stories that they tell and the characters they portray, these forms of media influence how audiences understand medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease [3]. However, these representations can offer over simplified versions of reality, reinforcing stereotypes and misconceptions about patients’ experiences. 

When movies depict a heart attack, the scene is usually easy to predict: a white, middle-aged man suddenly clutches his chest and collapses. While this image has become a familiar cinematic trope, it represents only a narrow version of reality. Women and people from underrepresented backgrounds are rarely shown experiencing heart attacks on screen [5]. At the same time, the typical symptoms of a heart attack are not accurately portrayed in most scenes [5]. Consequently, films can reinforce misleading ideas about who is at risk and what a heart attack actually looks like. 

Is cardiovascular disease a man’s disease?

When reviewing heart attack scenes from top-ranked movies from the U.S and around the world, researchers identified that 90% depicted men, while women only accounted for 10% [5]. Despite the stereotypical image presented on screen, heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States [5]. 

This lack of media representation may also have real-world consequences: only 44% of women are aware that heart disease is their leading cause of death [2]. Awareness is especially low among Black women, who are less familiar with the symptoms of a heart attack, despite being at greater chance of dying from heart disease compared with white women [2]. The knowledge gap surrounding heart attack symptoms can also affect health outcomes: when women’s experiences differ from the narrow image of heart attacks commonly presented in popular media, they may underestimate their own risk of cardiovascular disease or fail to identify the warning signs of a heart attack, which can delay seeking medical attention and increase the likelihood of more severe health outcomes [4].

The inaccurate portrayal of heart attack warning signs

A study analyzing heart attack scenes in films found that falling to the ground and passing out were among the most common portrayals, even though these reactions are relatively uncommon during actual heart attacks [5]. Other dramatic signs, such as screaming, yelling, and clutching the chest were also frequently used to signal a heart attack [5]. Although these scenes create a clear visual message for audiences, they often exaggerate what a real heart attack looks like. 

In reality, heart attacks can be much less obvious, especially for women. While chest discomfort is a common symptom for everyone, women are more likely to experience subtler warning signs, such as [1]:

• Discomfort that comes and goes

• Pain in the arms, back, jaw, neck, or stomach 

• Shortness of breath

• Sudden cold sweats

• Nausea  

Because these symptoms are rarely represented on screen, many people may not recognize them as signs of a potentially life-threatening event [5]. 

The way heart attacks are portrayed in movies may seem like a small detail, but their influence on the public should not be underestimated. When the same dramatic scenario is repeatedly shown, it creates a narrow idea of what a heart attack looks like. This can leave many people unaware that their symptoms may appear differently. A more realistic and diverse representation of heart diseases could help audiences better recognize warning signs and seek medical care sooner, ultimately contributing to better health outcomes. Improving media representation is not only about visibility, but also a matter of saving lives. 

This Article is written by our volunteer student research team at Feel Every Beat, and is intended for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

References

1. American Heart Association (2024) Heart attack portrayals in movies miss the mark, study finds. Available at: https://www.heart.org/en/news/2024/08/14/heart-attack-portrayals-in-movies-miss-the-mark-study-finds (Accessed: 2 August 2026)

2. Cushman, M., Shay, C.M., Howard, V.J., Jiménez, M.C., Lewey, J., McSweeney, J.C., Newby, L.K., Poudel, R., Reynolds, H.R., Rexrode, K.M., Sims, M. and Mosca, L.J. (2020). Ten-Year Differences in Women’s Awareness Related to Coronary Heart Disease: Results of the 2019 American Heart Association National Survey: A Special Report From the American Heart Association. Circulation, 143(7). doi:10.1161/cir.0000000000000907.

3. Kaptein, A.A., van der Meer, P.B., Florijn, B.W., Hilt, A.D., Murray, M. and Schalij, M.J. (2020). Heart in art: cardiovascular diseases in novels, films, and paintings. Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine, v. 15. doi:10.1186/s13010-020-0086-3.

4. Lupton, D. (2019) On TV, heart attack victims are rich, white men clutching their hearts. Here’s why that’s a worry. Available at: https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2019/08/on-tv--heart-attack-victims-are-rich--white-men-clutching-their- (Accessed: 2 August 2026)

5. Shaw, K.E., Harris, K.M., Diedrich, A., Holbrook, A.K., Stanberry, L., Carlson, M. D and Saxena, R. (2024). Portrayal of Acute Myocardial Infarction in Popular Film: A Review of Gender, Race, and Ethnicity. Journal of the American Heart Association, 13(16). doi:10.1161/jaha.123.034222.

6. World Health Organization (2025) Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs). Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds) (Accessed: 2 August 2026)