Having a Heart Attack?

How to know if you are having a heart attack

To know for sure if you are having a heart attack you need access to devices only available in hospitals and in doctors' offices. However, some symptoms should alert and drive you to the emergency room.

The typical symptoms of a heart attack are described as “angor”.  Angor is a feeling behind your sternum that something is pressing hard, as if someone was crushing your heart. This pain may seem to travel up to your jaw, neck or left arm and you may feel your heart beating faster than usual and feel dizzy.

However, if you are an elderly person or if you have diabetes, a heart attack may not give you any angor. Instead, you should be alert when you feel nausea, faintness, sweating, discomfort in your chest, or breathlessness.

What to do if you are having a heart attack

If you or someone next to you is feeling any of the above, you should immediately dial 911 or go to the nearest hospital. The most important thing (after that) is not panicking.

Meanwhile, the person having the heart attack can take an aspirin or, if you have it, nitroglycerin. Just remember to tell the paramedics what you gave the person and if you are in doubt don't give anything at all.

If the person drops to the floor, lay them on their back and make sure nothing is obstructing their airways (check if their tongue isn't doing it). Listen to check if they are breathing and also check their pulse. If they are not breathing or have no pulse, start CPR and call 911 again. Otherwise, raise their legs to make sure the brain gets enough blood.

Remember again not to panic and all will go well.