How To Perform Cpr
Push hard and fast on the persons chest about 100 compressions a minute. If you are trained in CPR, check the persons airway and deliver rescue breaths after every 30 compressions. If you havent been trained, just continue chest compressions. Allow the chest to rise completely between compressions. Keep doing this until a portable defibrillator is available or emerge0ncy personnel arrive.
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Heart Attack Symptoms In Women Vs Men
Women are more likely than men to have silent heart attacks and heart attacks without chest pain. Heart attacks are also more likely to start when a woman is at rest or experiencing mental stress.
That means its especially important for women to watch out for symptoms like shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, nausea or vomiting, or pain in the jaw, arms or back.
Also, we now know that young women are particularly prone to a type of heart event called a spontaneous coronary artery dissection , which we talk about in more depth below.
Heart Attacks In Older Adults
Your risk for a heart attack and cardiovascular disease increases after age 65.
This is due to age-related changes that can occur in the heart, including high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries .
Having a heart attack as an older adult also comes with special considerations.
Diet and exercise training are crucial for future heart attack prevention, but it may take longer to recover. Older adults may also be at a higher risk for cognitive issues and reduced functional movements.
To reduce the long-term effects of a heart attack, its recommended that older adults be especially vigilant about increasing physical activity when theyre able.
This will help strengthen the heart muscle and protect it from future damage.
Another consideration is trying to reduce your blood pressure, as needed. Hypertension is the most common heart-related condition in adults over age 75.
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Perform Cpr If You Are Qualified
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is one link in what the American Heart Association calls the “chain of survival.” The chain of survival is a series of actions that, when done in sequence, will give a person having a heart attack the best chance of survival.
In an emergency, the first link in the chain of survival is early access. This means activating the EMS system by calling 911 . The next link in the chain of survival is to do CPR until thereâs access to a defibrillator.
The most common cause of death from a heart attack in adults is a disturbance in the electrical rhythm of the heart called ventricular fibrillation. Ventricular fibrillation can be treated, but it needs an electrical shock to the chest called defibrillation. If a defibrillator is not readily available, brain death will happen in less than 10 minutes.
One way of buying time until a defibrillator becomes available is to give artificial breathing and circulation with CPR. By giving a combination of manual chest compressions and artificial, or “mouth-to-mouth,” respiration, the rescuer can breathe for the other person and help circulate some of the blood throughout their body. Even without mouth-to-mouth, “hands-only” CPR can be very effective.
The earlier you give CPR to a person in cardiopulmonary arrest , the better the chance of resuscitation. By doing CPR, you keep oxygenated blood flowing to the heart and brain until a defibrillator becomes available.
Heart Attack With Stents
A stent is used to reduce the chances of a heart attack. This wire-mesh tube is inserted into a blocked artery to help increase blood flow to your heart. The stent is left in place permanently to improve your condition.
When done with a coronary angioplasty, a stent placement opens your arteries and increases blood flow to the heart muscle. Stents reduce your overall risk of experiencing narrowing of that same artery.
However, its still possible to have a heart attack in the future from a different clogged artery. Thats why adopting heart-healthy lifestyle habits is so impotant.
Making these changes can play an important role in helping prevent a future attack.
As a rule of thumb, you should see your doctor right away if you experience chest pain even after a stent placement. In the rare event that a stent closes, youll need surgery to open the artery up again.
Its also possible to experience a blood clot after getting a stent, which could increase your risk of a heart attack.
Your doctor will likely recommend taking aspirin, as well as prescription anti-clotting drugs, such as ticagrelor or clopidogrel to prevent blood clots.
A heart-healthy lifestyle can complement a medical treatment plan for heart disease. Consider your current lifestyle habits and look for ways you might improve them.
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What To Do When Having A Heart Attack Alone
The steps of what to do to do when having a heart attack alone are very similar to the ones listed above.;
- Try or get someone near you to
- Chew and swallow an aspirin if you have one handy
- Try to keep calm as best you can
- If youre in your home and conscious, try to unlock and be near your front door so responders can find you easily
Though the internet is littered with home remedies for stopping heart attacks, listen to your doctor for advice on heart attack prevention. You may be at greater risk if youre an older male, have pre-existing heart conditions, and partake in unhealthy habits like smoking.;
Partake In Physical Activity
Being physically active will also help to prevent a heart attack. According to the American Heart Association, adults should try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise every week when possible.
Adults who are already active can increase their activity levels to give themselves even better prevention against heart attacks.
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What To Do When Youre Having A Heart Attack
- Chew one adult-strength aspirin to help keep your blood from clotting.
- Stay on the phone with the emergency operator as you wait for an ambulance. Do not try to drive yourself to the hospital.
If youre not sure its a heart attack, dont ignore your symptoms. Call for help anyway. If you are having a heart attack, the sooner you get to the hospital, the sooner your care team can work to restore blood flow and reduce further heart damage.
Who Should Go To Cardiac Rehab
Technically, anyone can participate in cardiac rehab. But youll want to ask what your insurer considers to be a qualifying event, based on your condition, to make sure these services are covered, says Dr. Van Iterson.
For example, while you may be responsible for a copay, Medicare will cover the majority of your out-of-pocket costs for cardiac rehab if youve had one of these events or procedures:;
- Angina pectoris that is currently stable.
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How To Survive If You Are Having A Heart Attack
Being knowledgeable about the symptoms and causes of heart attack can save your life as it will likely increase your chances of survival.
Based on the symptoms above, heart attacks start slowly with mild pain or discomfort. This serves as a warning sign for you before they strike hard.;
The first thing to do if you experience any of these symptoms, is to !
You should call 911, or if you live in other country, know the emergency hotline of the hospital near you. Or you can also and ask for immediate help.
If you cant make a call, ask others to do it for you. Once the ambulance arrive, EMS workers are trained to help heart attack victims with utmost and rapid care.
Take Aspirin
This is an old trick but most heart attack victims neglect on following this procedure.;
Aspirin works by slowing the bloods ability to clot. This means that during an attack, aspirin slow blood clotting and reduces the size of blood clots that might form lessening the overall damage of an heart attack.
A regular dose of Aspirin can make a big difference .;
Begin CPR if the Person is Unconscious;
If someone is unconscious during or after having a heart attack, dont hesitate to perform a CPR as the life of the person depends on it.;
Begin CPR to keep blood flowing especially after calling for emergency medical help. So dont just wait for the medics to arrive.
Symptoms Of Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Sudden cardiac arrest is when the heart stops and person falls unconscious.
The person may:
- appear not to be breathing
- not be moving
- not respond to any stimulation, like being touched or spoken to
This is a leading cause of premature death, but with immediate treatment, many lives can be saved. The heart stops because the electrical rhythm that controls the heart is replaced by a disorganised electrical rhythm. The quicker this can be treated, the greater the chance of successful resuscitation.
Read more on cardiac arrest from the British Heart Foundation
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Symptoms Of Heart Attack
To be able to survive an cardiovascular attack, you have to know its symptoms first and how to act accordingly during a heart attack.
The major symptoms of heart attack are:
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Physically weak, faint or light-headed
- Pain in the jaw, neck or back
- Shortness of breath and dizziness
- Nausea and cold sweats
Most heart attack symptoms involve discomfort or pain in the center or left side of the chest that lasts usually for more than a few minutes. Some people experience chest pain for longer period, then goes away naturally and comes back.;
Discomfort feels like putting some pressure on your chest, fullness or severe pain.;
Other less common symptoms of heart attack include tiredness and vomiting .;
Before The Ambulance Arrives
If you can, before the ambulance arrives, you can help the paramedics by doing the following:
- if youre outside, stay with the patient until help arrives
- phone 999;again if the patients condition worsens
- phone 999;again if your location changes
- if youre phoning from home or work, ask someone to open the doors and tell ambulance staff where they’re needed
- shut any family pets away
- if you can, write down the patients GP details and collect any medication theyre taking
- tell the paramedics if the patient has any allergies
- tell the paramedics if the patient has taken an aspirin
- stay calm -;Scottish Ambulance Service;are there to help you
Many people survive heart attacks and make a good recovery. Your heart is a tough muscle. Stress, shocks or surprises dont cause heart attacks.
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How To Treat A Heart Attack
This article was co-authored by David Nazarian, MD. Dr. David Nazarian is a board certified Internal Medicine Physician and the Owner of My Concierge MD, a medical practice in Beverly Hills California, specializing in concierge medicine, executive health and integrative medicine. Dr. Nazarian specializes in comprehensive physical examinations, IV Vitamin therapies, hormone replacement therapy, weight loss, platelet rich plasma therapies. He has over 16 years of medical training and facilitation and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine. He completed his B.S. in Psychology and Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, his M.D. from the Sackler School of Medicine, and a residency at Huntington Memorial Hospital, an affiliate of the University of Southern California.There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 282,540 times.
About every 34 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a heart attack.XTrustworthy SourceJohns Hopkins MedicineOfficial resource database of the world-leading Johns Hopkins HospitalGo to source The physical damage due to heart attack can be minimized by early intervention, so prompt recognition of the signs of a heart attack and immediate transport to a hospital is crucial and greatly increases the chance of survival.
What To Do If You Suspect Someone Is Having A Heart Attack
If you think someone around you is having a heart attack, the first thing you should do is call an ambulance. Even if you are not 100% certain it is a heart attack, paramedics would rather be called and find it is a false alarm than to lose a life.
While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, you should give the victim an aspirin tablet to chew. Providing they arent allergic to aspirin, it will help thin the blood and restore blood supply to the heart.
Keeping the person at rest helps avoid unnecessary strain on the heart. Beyond this, sit tight and explain to the ambulance crew when they arrive what the individual was doing before the attack.
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How To Stop A Heart Attack
Overview
Many people worry about experiencing a heart attack in their lifetime, and with good reason: its estimated that an American has a heart attack every 40 seconds .
Even though a heart attack can be deadly, tens of thousands of Americans survive heart attacks every year.
Acting quickly when you suspect a heart attack is coming on can greatly improve your chances for survival.
Most of the time, heart attacks start slowly with just mild discomfort and pain, giving warning signs before they strike. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call 911 or ask someone to call 911 immediately.
These could be signs of a heart attack:
- Discomfort in the chest, especially the center, that 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.
What Should I Do In A Heart Attack Emergency
The first thing to do is;phone 999;immediately;for an ambulance.
You should then;sit and rest;while you wait for the ambulance to arrive.
Aspirin can sometimes help, but dont get up and look around for an aspirin, as this may put unnecessary strain on your heart.
If youre not allergic to aspirin and have some next to you – or if there is someone with you who can fetch them for you – chew one adult aspirin tablet . If the aspirin isnt nearby, however, anyone with you should stay with you and not go looking for aspirin.
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What Shouldnt You Do After Someone Has A Heart Attack
Many patients who are recovering dont feel well, and dont want to get up and move around, says Dr. Van Iterson.
But being sedentary during acute and long-term recovery is the worst thing you can do for your heart. Cardiac rehab is a vital next step in your care and has global health benefits.
So be careful not to minimize its value; encourage your partner to go. Encourage them to finish, too. Research shows that completing all 36 sessions leads to a better recovery than completing even 35.
And remember to put your feet in your loved ones shoes. The foods you buy and the meals you prepare can support their recovery or become a barrier to their success.
If theyd dearly love a cheeseburger, for instance, try not to eat one in front of them. If theyre tempted by snacks, dont leave cookies, chips or other fatty, processed foods lying around.
And if they dont want to leave the couch and go to rehab, offer to drive them and then stay for the session. After all, what you learn about heart-healthy living will benefit you in the long run, too.
Are There Complications Of A Heart Attack
Complications following a heart attack can include:
- Arrhythmia your heart may develop an irregular heartbeat following a heart attack due to damaged heart muscles disrupting electrical signals.
- Heart failure your heart may have ongoing difficulty pumping enough blood, due to its muscles being too weak or stiff.
- Cardiogenic shock where your whole body goes into shock from extensive heart muscle damage.
- Heart rupture this is a rare but serious complication in which the hearts muscles, walls or valves split apart.
These can be dangerous if untreated, but your healthcare team will help to manage them if they occur.
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A Heart Attack Explained
When fatty plaque condensed with cholesterol crack in the blood vessels travelling to the heart and a blood clot forms over top the heart becomes distressed. The clot prevents blood flow to the area of the heart and damages the muscle, causing the onset of a heart attack.
A heart attack is a health emergency and triple zero should always be called immediately.
What Are The Symptoms Of Heart Attack
The major symptoms of a heart attack are
- Chest pain or discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center or left side of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.
- Feeling weak, light-headed, or faint. You may also break out into a cold sweat.
- Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back.
- Pain or discomfort in one or both arms or shoulders.
- Shortness of breath. This often comes along with chest discomfort, but shortness of breath also can happen before chest discomfort.
Other symptoms of a heart attack could include unusual or unexplained tiredness and nausea or vomiting. Women are more likely to have these other symptoms.;Learn more about women and heart disease.
Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a heart attack.1Learn more facts about heart attack and heart disease.
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