These could be signs of a heart attack.
- Discomfort in the chest, especially the center, lasts more than a few minutes or comes and goes. The discomfort may feel like heaviness, fullness, squeezing, or pain.
- Discomfort in the upper body parts such as the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach. This may feel like pain or general discomfort.
- Shortness of breath. This may come with or without chest discomfort.
- Unusual sensations such as a cold sweat, nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness, or dizziness. Women are more likely than men to experience these kinds of symptoms.
1. Have someone call an ambulance
Tell them to stay with you if others are around until emergency medical services (EMS) workers arrive. Calling 911 is usually the fastest way to get emergency care instead of asking someone to drive you to a hospital in their car. EMS workers are trained to revive people experiencing heart attacks and transport them to the hospital for immediate care.
If you’re in a public space such as a store, school, library, or workplace, there’s a good chance there’s a defibrillator on hand.
A defibrillator is the kind of device EMS workers use to revive people who are experiencing heart attacks. If you’re still conscious at the onset of your heart attack, instruct someone nearby to find the closest defibrillator. Defibrillators come with easy-to-use instructions, so a non-EMS worker can revive you if a heart attack strikes.
If you’re alone and experience any of the above heart attack symptoms, call 911 right away. Take aspirin if you have it on hand. Then, unlock your front door and lie down near it, so EMS workers can easily find you.
There is no fast way to stop a heart attack without seeking emergency medical treatment at a hospital. Online you’ll find many “fast” heart attack treatments. However, these “fast” treatments are ineffective and could be dangerous by delaying emergency medical treatment.
Cough CPR
One type of treatment found online is called cough CPR. Some online sources claim that breathing deeply and coughing deeply can raise your blood pressure for a second or two. Sources say this can deliver more blood to your brain. The claim also says that if your heart is beating normally, a deep cough may be able to set it back to normal.
But the American Heart Association does not endorse cough CPR. First of all, it can’t be used to treat an unresponsive person because they cannot cough.
How to decrease risk factors associated with a heart attack
While you can’t control all your heart attack risk factors, such as aging, gender (men are at higher risk), and heredity, there are some that you can control. To prevent your risk of a heart attack:
- Stop smoking and minimize your exposure to secondhand smoke.
- Get your high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure under control by modifying your diet, losing weight, taking medication, or doing a combination of these things.
- Stay physically active daily.
- Control your weight if you’re overweight or obese.
- If you have diabetes, take care by sticking to your treatment plan and managing your blood sugar.
- Get a handle on the stress in your life by practicing relaxation techniques like deep breathing or yoga, or try talk therapy.
- Limit your alcohol consumption.
- Consume a healthy and balanced diet, rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals.
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