What to immediately do if someone is having a heart attack?
What to do if you or someone else may be having a heart attack
- Call 911 or your local emergency number.
- Chew and swallow an aspirin while waiting for emergency help.
- Take nitroglycerin, if prescribed.
- Begin CPR if the person is unconscious.
What are 3 symptoms Someone may have a cardiac emergency?
Emergency signs
- Chest discomfort. Pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain, burning or heaviness.
- Sweating.
- Upper body discomfort. Neck, jaw, shoulder, arms, back.
- Nausea.
- Shortness of breath.
- Light-headedness.
What happens the longer the person with a heart attack goes without treatment?
A heart attack occurs when a blocked artery prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching a section of the heart. If the blocked artery is not reopened quickly, the part of the heart normally nourished by that artery begins to die. The longer a person goes without treatment, the greater the damage.
When is heart failure an emergency?
Go to the emergency room or call your local emergency number if you have heart failure and have a weight gain of more than 5 pounds in a week, an inability to lie flat, shortness of breath at rest, increased swelling and discomfort in the lower body, or a constant, hacking cough.
What do you do in a cardiac emergency?
What to do
- Ensure scene safety.
- Check for response.
- Shout for help. Tell someone nearby to call 911 or your emergency response number.
- Check for no breathing or only gasping. If the person isn’t breathing or is only gasping, begin CPR with compressions.
- Begin high quality CPR.
- Use an AED.
- Continue CPR.
How long does your body warn you before a heart attack?
It often occurs among both men and women for up to 6 months prior to having a heart attack. It’s usually a warning sign of a medical condition.
When to call 911 for a heart attack?
Pay attention to your body and call 911 if you experience: Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes – or it may go away and then return. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain. Discomfort in other areas of the upper body.
How to know if you have a silent heart attack?
How Can a Heart Attack Be Silent? 1 1. Chest Pain, Pressure, Fullness, or Discomfort. Sometimes the pain from a heart attack is sudden and intense, which makes them easy to recognize and 2 2. Discomfort in other areas of your body. 3 3. Difficulty breathing and dizziness. 4 4. Nausea and cold sweats.
Can a real person have a heart attack?
If you’ve ever seen a movie where an actor has a heart attack, you’ve probably seen them clutch their chest, eyes rolling back, groaning in the severe pain before they collapse onto the floor. However, a Hollywood heart attack can be different from a real one.
What to do if you have warning signs of a heart attack?
Call 911 if you experience heart attack warning signs. Calling 911 is almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment. An emergency medical services (EMS) team can begin treatment when they arrive – up to an hour sooner than if someone gets to the hospital by car. EMS staff are also trained to revive someone whose heart has stopped.