Know about First Aid for a Heart Attack
Know about First Aid for a Heart Attack
Generally people think that heart attacks happening during a time of extreme stress or a strenuous activity, such as shoveling snow. If you have heart disease, these things can increase your risk of a heart attack, but a heart attack can occur anywhere at any time. In fact, heart attacks commonly occur during such everyday activities as shopping, relaxing on the couch, or even after waking up from a restful night's sleep.
What should you do in case
of a heart attack? First, don’t panic. By following basic heart attack first
aid, you can greatly lower the chances of serious heart damage and death.
How do I know if someone is having a heart attack?
# Any type of chest discomfort or pressure,
such as squeezing or achiness
# Feeling queasy or throwing up
# Looking “white as a ghost” (very pale)
# Breaking out in a cold sweat
# Feelings of dread or doom
# Pain, or achiness in your back, shoulders,
arms, neck or jaw
# Dizziness or passing out
# Weakness or feeling unusually tired
# Difficulty breathing
What should anyone do if someone is having a heart attack?
It's critical to
administer heart attack first aid for symptoms of a heart attack, even if they
don’t seem serious:
# Call ambulance immediately. The ambulance operator may advise taking an aspirin to help prevent a blood clot in the
heart. Be sure to tell the operator if you have an aspirin allergy, a bleeding
disorder, or are taking blood thinners.
# Sit or lie down while waiting for the
ambulance and loosen any tight clothing.
# Stay calm. This isn’t
easy if you are worried about dying of a heart attack. Anxiety increases the
heart’s need for oxygen and is known to worsen a heart attack. Take some deep
breaths and remind yourself that help is on the way.
# Take nitroglycerin if it prescribed to you
or the person you are with. Nitroglycerin helps ease chest pain by opening up
your blood vessels so your heart doesn’t have to work as hard.
Important points to remember:
# Don’t wait to call ambulance until symptoms
go away. Every minute of delay in treating a heart attack increases the chance
of permanent heart damage and death.
# Don’t drive yourself or someone else to the
hospital. You will get the fastest possible treatment by calling 911 because emergency
response teams will start treatment as soon as they arrive at your door.
Equally important, first responders know, in real time, which nearby Emergency
Room is best prepared to handle your situation.
# Don’t wait to call ambulance to make other calls,
such as to your family, doctor, or insurance company. Most insurance plans
cover emergency care for a possible heart attack at any hospital. The hospital
staff will make any calls you need or help you do so after you are stable.
CPR:
You use cardiopulmonary resuscitation
(CPR) to revive someone who has stopped breathing or whose heartbeat has
stopped (cardiac arrest). Not everyone who has a heart attack needs CPR because
not all heart attacks cause the heart to stop beating.
If someone suddenly
collapses or passes out and is not responding to you, immediately call ambulance,
then:
If you know CPR: Begin
chest compressions at a rate of 100 compressions per minute (or 25 compressions
in 15 seconds). After 30 compressions, begin rescue breathing.
If you don’t know CPR: You
can still help! The American Heart Association (AHA) now recommends a
simplified version of CPR called Hands-Only CPR. This involves pushing hard and
fast in the center of the chest until help arrives, or until the person begins
to move or wakes up. This is safe for an adult or child over the age of eight.
Any attempt to provide CPR increases a person’s chances of survival.
If an automatic external
defibrillator (AED) is available, follow the instructions on the AED device.
The AED automatically determines if the victim needs an electrical shock to
restore a beating heart. Don’t worry; the AED will not shock a person who does
not need it.
CPR training will help you
provide the most effective care for someone who has collapsed and stopped
breathing.
What do I take to the hospital?
Bring a current list of
your medical problems, allergies, and medications with you to the hospital.
Everyone should carry a list of his or her medical problems and medications,
even if you are not at risk for a heart attack. If you know you are at risk,
consider keeping the list in your wallet. If you don’t have a list on hand,
bring all your medicine bottles. If you are with someone who is having a heart
attack and they are responsive, ask them if they have such a list. The list of
medical conditions, allergies, and medications should also include:
# Your address and critical phone numbers
such as your spouse’s contact number
# Who to call in an emergency and phone
numbers
# Your doctor’s name and phone number
# Insurance information
Disclaimer: The information given here is based on different source and
general information. Get aware from your doctor before adopting it. If anything
goes wrong in adopting the above said then Writer will not be responsible.
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