HEALTH: Increase Your Chances Of Surviving Heart Attack!
We live in the fast-changing and fast-pacing world. The odds are very good that at some point in your life, some of us will experience the symptoms of a heart attack. If that time comes, it's essential to act quickly to maximize chances of survival.
A heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI), is permanent damage to the heart muscle. "Myo" means muscle, "cardial" refers to the heart, and "infarction" means death of tissue due to lack of blood supply.
During a heart attack, symptoms last 30 minutes or longer.
Know the signs of a heart attack. The typical heart attack symptoms include
- shortness of breath,
- tightness or fullness in the chest,
- intense pain radiating out from the chest.
- pressure or pain in the chest that seems to be triggered by exertion and which may disappear when you rest,
- heart palpitations or rapid heartbeat,
- pain in the upper abdomen lasting several minutes, often similar to the feeling of heartburn,
- pain or discomfort in the arms, neck, jaw, or teeth,
- lightheadedness, dizziness, fainting,
- profuse sweating,
- nausea (particularly in women),
- a sudden general feeling of illness.
If it will take a long time for paramedics to reach you, get someone to drive you to the hospital. Do not attempt to drive yourself, as you may suddenly become unconscious at any time during a heart attack.
Make people aware that you may be having a heart attack. If you're around family or out in public when you believe you may suffering from a heart attack, let people know. When you get to the hospital, tell the emergency room staff that you think you're having a heart attack. This will help you avoid wasting precious time in the waiting room.
If you're on an airplane, notify a flight attendant immediately. Commercial airlines carry medication on board that may be helpful, and the flight attendant can also find out if there's a doctor on the plane and perform CPR if necessary. Pilots are also required to detour to the nearest airport if a passenger is having a heart attack.
Try and keep calm and cool. Use a wet cloth or some sort of cold compress on your groin or under the armpits to cool your body temperature. It has been shown that lowering body temperature even slightly increases survival rate in many cases.
Take an aspirin or nitroglycerin if appropriate. Aspirin may worsen some conditions, however, so ask you doctor today whether this is an appropriate course of action. If you have been prescribed nitrates, take them (unless your doctor has advised you not to) at the onset of a heart attack.
Minimize activity. If you cannot get to medical attention quickly, try to remain calm and do as little as possible. Exertion will likely worsen the damage of a heart attack.
Follow professional medical advice after the heart attack. If you survive a heart attack, it's essential to follow your doctor's advice for recovery, both in the days immediately following the occurrence and in the long term. Short-term care is essential to minimize the damage, and long-term lifestyle changes can help you reduce your risk of further complications or a second heart attack.
It's always a good idea to keep yourself prepared for a heart attack even if you yourself have no heart issues. A single (80 mg) aspirin can mean the difference between life and death for many people and an aspirin takes up very little space in your wallet or purse. Also make sure to carry a medical card on you that states your allergies, current medications and any health issues you may have.
Be especially vigilant if you are in a high-risk group, for example if you are elderly, obese, have uncontrolled diabetes, have high cholesterol, are a smoker or if you drink heavily, or if you have a history of heart disease. Talk to your doctor today about ways to reduce your risk of heart attack.
If you are present when someone suffers a heart attack, call emergency services immediately.
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