What are the five most dangerous words you can say if you think you are having a heart attack? “Maybe it will go away.” Yet that’s what too many people think when the symptoms start.

Denial in a crisis is quite common. Psychologists call this defense mechanism the “incredulity response.”

One study, which included six years of data, examined 100,000 patients who had a non-STEMI heart attack. This type of heart attack involves a partially obstructed artery rather than a complete blockage. The average time that passed from the onset of symptoms to going to the hospital was 2.6 hours; 59 percent of the patients waited over two hours, while 11 percent of patients waited for more than 12 hours.

Another study that focused on 6,000 patients who had a STEMI, which is a serious heart attack involving a total blockage, showed just how precious the wasted time can be. This research, conducted in Denmark, showed that only 15.4 percent of patients died who waited less than an hour to call an ambulance. But other results showed:

• 23.3 percent of patients who got treatment in two hours died.

• 28.1 percent of patients who got treatment between two and three hours died.

• 30.8 percent of patients who got treatment between three and four hours died.

In general, the study concluded that there was a 10 percent increase in mortality for every hour a patient waited to call paramedics. So don’t go into denial if you think you are experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack — every hour counts.