The first signs of a heart attack in women and men - how to provide first aid, treatment and consequences. How does a heart attack go?

First aid for a heart attack allows you to temporarily eliminate the threat to the patient’s life until qualified support is provided. First aid for a heart attack is provided to the victim if certain symptoms of the disease are present. How can an ordinary person recognize them? How and what to do if you have a heart attack?

Symptoms of the disease

In order to help a patient who has heart disease, manifested in the form of an attack, you need to know that there are two forms of this phenomenon:

A painful type of lesion.
Painless type of illness.

They are characterized by various features. A painful heart attack can cause the following symptoms:

Sudden compressive pain on the left side of the chest.
Burning pain in the heart muscle.
Pressing, paroxysmal pain behind the sternum or on the left side of the body, lasting from 3 to 5 minutes.
The pain may radiate to the arm (left).
Sometimes pain can occur under the left shoulder blade or affect the neck from the side of the heart muscle.
In some cases, a heart attack causes pain in the upper abdomen.

If there is no pain, then the attack manifests itself in the following form:

The patient begins to experience severe shortness of breath.
A man complains of lack of air.
There are interruptions in the functioning of the heart muscle.
The patient weakens sharply.
The patient may feel dizzy.
In some cases, a heart attack can be recognized by a single vomiting.

All of the above phenomena can occur individually or in combination with each other. When they appear, first aid must be provided to the patient immediately, otherwise death may occur.

Methods for temporary relief

What to do if you have a heart attack? If the symptoms listed above are present, then even with mild or moderate manifestations of the disease, lasting no more than 5 minutes, you should urgently call an ambulance.

A patient in this position is prohibited from getting up, walking, smoking, driving, or drinking alcohol.

You cannot eat anything until your doctor allows it.

If there is a doctor nearby, then you need to follow his instructions, and if he is not, then you can use the following instructions:
Remember the start time of the attack.
The victim must be seated or laid on a sofa (bed). In this case, be sure to raise the headboard.
If the attack occurred indoors, it is recommended to open the window and unbutton the patient’s collar.
The patient must be given aspirin. He must chew and swallow the tablet. This drug should not be given if the patient cannot tolerate it or has already used it that day. It is also prohibited to use aspirin for stomach and duodenal ulcers.
After aspirin, give nitroglycerin tablets - they are placed under the tongue and dissolved. If this medicine is available in capsules, chew it, but do not swallow it. This medication can also be in the form of a spray, then the dose is injected under the tongue. There is no need to inhale. If, after consuming nitroglycerin, the patient developed severe weakness, excessive sweating, complained of severe pain in the head, and shortness of breath appeared, then it is necessary to urgently put the victim to bed and raise his legs (put, for example, a pillow under them). After this, the patient should be given a glass of cold water. Do not use nitroglycerin anymore. This medication should not be used if you have low blood pressure, sudden weakness, severe headache, severe loss of vision, speech, dizziness, or loss of coordination.
If the patient’s condition improves within 5 minutes after the measures taken, then you must wait for the ambulance to arrive. The patient should be limited in physical activity.
If the pain does not disappear after 10-15 minutes, then you need to give the patient nitroglycerin a second time, and then wait for the ambulance to arrive. If the above medications are not available and the patient has pain for more than 5 minutes, you should immediately call an ambulance.
If the pain does not stop even after the second dose of nitroglycerin, then after 10 minutes you should take the third, and then wait for an ambulance.

All of these activities must be carried out without panic or haste.

Their main purpose is to alleviate the condition of a person having a heart attack.

Naturally, it is impossible to cure it at such a time, since only a cardiologist can make a correct diagnosis after examining the patient. Therefore, the main task is to wait for an ambulance.

Additional measures

A person who is suffering from any heart disease should always carry nitroglycerin and aspirin. In some cases, this can save him from sudden death. People who drink alcohol and smokers have an increased risk of an attack due to damage to the heart muscle. The risk group includes people exposed to stress, those with high blood cholesterol, athletes, etc.

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A heart attack is not a diagnosis, but a variant of the course of one of the diseases of the cardiovascular system with temporary manifestations. The paroxysmal nature of the disease is always dangerous, since the symptoms appear suddenly, do not depend on the time and location of the patient, and significantly complicate the provision of medical care.

Severe attacks can occur in a passerby on the street, in a summer cottage, or in a store. The life of the victim depends on how familiar those around him are with the rules of first aid. Because, in any case, such manifestations serve as a signal of serious trouble in the condition of the heart.

The clinical picture is not always typical. Sometimes manifestations of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, muscle pain due to intercostal neuralgia, diaphragmatic hernia, gastric ulcer, acute pancreatitis or cholecystitis are masked as heart attacks.

Why does an attack occur?

The causes of a heart attack are a malnutrition of the heart muscle (myocardium) due to spasm or narrowing of the coronary vessels. The worst cause is complete thrombosis of the vessel with cessation of blood flow to the muscle tissue area. This causes acute necrosis (death) and myocardial infarction.

Pathological changes occur when:

atherosclerosis with the deposition of cholesterol plaques, narrowing and thrombosis of the arteries;
increased blood pressure;
sudden nervous shock (both from negative emotions and from joy), fear.

The risk of a heart attack is significantly increased in patients with heart rhythm disturbances, especially those suffering from paroxysms of atrial fibrillation or tachycardia, in patients with defects. In such cases, the required amount of blood does not enter the coronary vessels.

First aid is provided by work colleagues and passers-by

A heart attack can be triggered by heat, stuffiness, physical activity, overeating, drinking alcohol, and smoking.

Who is having seizures?

The risk of a heart attack increases during periods of unstable disease, in the off-season, and at high atmospheric pressure. Statistics show that the most susceptible to attacks are:

middle-aged men (40-60 years old);
having excess weight;
people who do not want to give up smoking and alcohol;
“experienced” hypertensive patients;
persons suffering from coronary heart disease;
patients with initial manifestations of heart failure;
sensitive people who do not tolerate stressful situations well;
persons who voluntarily stopped taking medications.

Characteristics of typical heart pain

In another way, such pain is called “angina pectoris” or angina pectoris.

There is a feeling of compression behind the sternum or on the left; due to the pressing pain, the patient cannot take a deep breath.
It radiates to the left shoulder, shoulder blade, less often to the throat, lower jaw.
Associated with physical activity, the condition improves with rest.
There is a feeling of lack of air, the patient cannot lie down, tries to sit up, gasps for air.
Rhythm interruptions are often a concern.
Pallor of the face and cold sweat appear.
Accompanied by a feeling of fear of death.
Lasts from 5 minutes to half an hour.

If the attack depends on physical activity, this form is classified as. In the more severe version, paroxysmal pain occurs at night, without any exertion. This is angina at rest. A change in the form of attacks indicates a possible pre-infarction condition and requires prompt treatment.

Other manifestations of an attack

Symptoms of a heart attack vary depending on the underlying disease that caused it. The main symptom is always pain in the heart area.

Atypical symptoms are:

The maximum localization of pain is to the right of the sternum, in the epigastric region, in the throat. There are often cases when patients steam in the bathroom, believing that they have a cold or inducing vomiting, being sure of their poisoning.
There may be no pain at all. The main manifestation is sudden suffocation. Unlike an attack of bronchial asthma, a person cannot inhale (bronchial spasm causes difficulty in exhalation, whistling can be heard from a distance).
Against the background of stabbing, rather than pressing pain, sharp weakness appears.

Attack with hypertension

In the cardiac course of hypertension, pain in the heart occurs during each hypertensive crisis. This condition is characterized by:

simultaneous headaches in the back of the head or crown;
dizziness;
noise in ears;
muscle tremors;
visual impairment;
nausea and vomiting;
paresthesia (“goosebumps”) on the skin of the arms and legs;
excitement or, conversely, inhibition of consciousness.

Without assistance, the crisis lasts from several hours to a day.

Symptoms suggestive of non-cardiac causes

You should not try taking heart medications if you have the following symptoms:

the pain is short-term, stabbing, goes away on its own;
intensifies with deep breathing, movement of the torso, arms;
there is pain when pressing along the lower edge of the costal arch;
At the same time, heartburn, belching, and a tendency to loose stools occur;
constant aching pain that does not depend on physical activity.

With such symptoms, there is more evidence to suggest osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, intercostal neuralgia, chest injury, stomach problems, and cardioneurosis.

When to think about a heart attack

It’s good when adults know that the threat of death from myocardial infarction, unfortunately, is not decreasing. The possibility of a heart attack is indicated by an increase in angina attacks. But a sudden development of the disease is also possible if a blood clot has blocked a large vessel and a large mass of heart muscle is immediately excluded from the operating mode.

A person who has had angina pectoris will not confuse it with any other attack

Main signs:

pain is localized behind the sternum;
the intensity is much greater than during a normal attack, patients describe them as “dagger-like, burning”;
radiates to the left scapula, shoulder joint (as with angina pectoris);
paleness and blueness appear on the lips;
sticky cold sweat on forehead;
last more than half an hour;
their intensity does not depend on physical activity;
the pain cannot be relieved with a nitroglycerin tablet.

Atypical manifestations are possible: fainting, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain.

How to help if you have a heart attack

First aid provided during a heart attack can be decisive in the fight for a person’s life.

From suffocation, people unbutton their own clothes

An ambulance must be called as soon as possible.
Lay the person down with their head elevated.
Unfasten your tight belt, collar, tie.
Indoors, provide access to air, fanning in the heat.
If it is possible to measure blood pressure and an increase is recorded, then ask the patient if he is carrying the necessary medications with him. Doctors direct hypertensive patients to the constant availability of drugs with a vasodilating effect. This tablet should be kept in your mouth until it dissolves.
If people around you or in your home medicine cabinet have nitroglycerin, you must give it to the patient.
You can offer to chew and swallow 2 aspirin tablets with water. Be sure to inform the emergency doctor about this.
Placement of mustard plaster on the heart area is indicated.

Do not leave the patient alone until a team of specialists arrives. They know what to do in case of a heart attack, they will take an ECG and carry out initial diagnostics.

Treatment

Further treatment of a heart attack is carried out on an outpatient basis (if there is no suspicion of a heart attack) or in a hospital (if the clinical course and examination results contain a lot of data that allows diagnosing a pre-infarction condition or a heart attack is clearly confirmed).

A popular fast-acting drug for eliminating heart pain

You will definitely have to reduce physical activity to a minimum for a short period of time and observe bed rest. This is the only way to give your heart a rest. This does not mean a ban on exercises for the hands and feet. Do everything at a slow pace.

A little diet and limiting salt won’t hurt. In the coming days, foods that cause fermentation (meat, legumes, whole milk) are not recommended so that the diaphragm does not rise.

For “abusers” there is reason to seriously think about their health. Often it is the experience of a heart attack with the fear of death that changes a person for the better.

It is mandatory to carry out a general blood test, biochemical tests for transaminases, lactate dehydrogenase, and an ECG with monitoring after a few days.

Long-acting nitro-containing drugs, agents that reduce myocardial oxygen consumption, and anticoagulants are used in treatment.

Hypertensive patients need adjustment of the dosage of medications taken, initial prescription and selection of optimal treatment if high blood pressure has not previously been determined.

People who have had a heart attack should not despair. It should be treated as a request from the body to pay increased attention to itself.

Heart attacks: causes, signs and types, first aid and relief

The name “heart attack” can hide a wide range of pathological conditions caused by diseases of the heart and blood vessels, which periodically or systematically remind themselves in this way, even despite the fact that the patient is constantly taking treatment. These are life-threatening attacks, etc. Sometimes a heart attack occurs in people who, in general, are not very sick, but also not particularly healthy, whose nervous system is especially sensitive to any influences. This group includes patients diagnosed with characteristic panic attacks and adjustment disorders.

They may be caused by:

, which is usually preceded by unstable angina;
, often developing as a result of a sedentary lifestyle in old age, thrombophlebitis of the venous vessels of the legs;
Dissecting, occurring at any age against the background of arterial hypertension;
, formed as a result of a weakening of the contractility of the heart, the cause of which could be various diseases of the cardiovascular system (arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis, aortic defects, etc.)

All these diseases can complement each other, exist in isolation, but each of them can be asymptomatic or atypical, which is why the concept of “heart attack” is so widely used and this is good, because a person who does not have a medical education will be able to explain the essence of the problem in a nutshell.

To distinguish a life-threatening attack from a condition that requires taking sedatives, you don’t have to be a doctor, you just need to be familiar with the symptoms of a heart attack. Life is such that any of us may find ourselves in a situation where another person needs help, but our conscience will not allow us to pass by, because myocardial infarction at the beginning of its development (before the diagnosis is established) is also called a heart attack.

Real heart attack

Pain during a heart attack, which are based on the death of myocardial cells resulting from the closure of a vessel by a thrombus, or a sharp spasm of arterial vessels, leading to disruption of the blood supply to the heart muscle (ischemia), quite long (up to half an hour). In addition, they are particularly intense, and stopping an attack with nitroglycerin or other medications by mouth, usually has no effect , changes in body position, access to fresh air, ammonia and rest do not alleviate suffering.

In addition to pain, the course of a heart attack, depending on its cause, may be accompanied or expressed by other symptoms:

A feeling of fear and anxiety (), forcing the patient to take a motionless, frozen pose with a reflection of horror in the eyes.

Strong palpitations and/or irregular heart rhythm.

Unpleasant sensations behind the sternum, in the arm, in the back and neck.

Feeling of lack of air, attacks of shortness of breath, general weakness.

Dizziness, nausea, heaviness in the epigastrium, as if food is stuck, sometimes with heartburn and/or vomiting.

Sweating, pallor or blueness (cyanosis) of the skin, possibly a decrease in the temperature of the extremities.

It is useful to focus on such a heart attack, which is called a “silent heart attack,” which proceeds almost unnoticed, without any symptoms and can happen to each of us, but patients suffering from it are more prone to such a heart attack.

What to do if you have a heart attack?

It is better for the sick person to do nothing, It is advisable to call someone to provide first aid for a heart attack.

In such situations, you need to keep in mind the likelihood of myocardial infarction, therefore, tactics must be appropriate:

Pulse measurement (number of beats, rhythm, filling, tension) and (if a tonometer is available);

under the tongue;

An urgent call to 103, starting with the words “heart attack”, because with a heart attack, and other similar conditions, every minute counts.

Of course, heart problems can catch a person in any place where there is no device for measuring blood pressure and nitroglycerin, so the very first aid in case of a heart attack should be to ensure that emergency medical workers find out about the patient as early as possible.

Call 103 – heart attack

A person calling an ambulance because of a heart attack cannot be accused of minding his own business and making a diagnosis. The doctors will figure out what kind of attack it is, and the spoken words have a magical effect: the station dispatcher knows that a disaster has occurred, the patient’s serious condition cannot be delayed, so a cardiac team is required. Sometimes these words save lives, so it would be appropriate to briefly touch on some emergency cases that are difficult to diagnose in the first minutes.

A threat to human life is posed by: an attack of shortness of breath that occurs as a type can quickly transform into pulmonary edema or develop into a case of extensive myocardial infarction. An attack of tachycardia with a gallop rhythm, as a rule, complements the phenomena of suffocation. Patients suffering chronic heart failure, they know what attacks of palpitations and a painful sensation of acute lack of air are, accompanied by anxiety, sweating, cyanosis, they constantly have to keep all the necessary medications nearby, but, meanwhile, they are always very scared, because in most cases they “get” these attacks at night. It goes without saying that for people nearby, these phenomena will have the significance of a heart attack, which requires immediately call an ambulance.

Video: help during an attack - myocardial infarction

An attack of heartbeat, unusual in frequency and rhythm, occurring against the background of some kind of cardiac pathology, often has to be attributed to heart attacks and life-threatening conditions. Patients who are often visited by attacks of arrhythmia also take heaps of medications, they know when and what, and they themselves try not to bring an attack of arrhythmia to the extreme or to relieve an attack of arrhythmia on their own (taking antiarrhythmic drugs, β-blockers). But... anything can happen, and when the situation gets out of the patient’s control, he calls an ambulance, which treats the attack at the patient’s home.

What is done for arrhythmia?

There are various types of arrhythmias, dangerous and not so dangerous, for example, if not everyone, then many have heard about such a rhythm disorder as atrial fibrillation. The first attack of this kind of arrhythmia frightens the patient; he feels that something terrible is happening to his heart, so the best solution would be to urgently seek medical help. In addition, this condition usually requires hospitalization. Of course, by calling 103, a person will report that he is having a heart attack.

An emergency doctor can relieve an attack of arrhythmia using antiarrhythmic drugs, It is better for the patient himself and his relatives not to do this. An individual approach is needed here; drugs that restore rhythm have their own indications and contraindications, and there is no single algorithm for stopping an attack of all arrhythmias. Typically, in such cases, verapamil is used, which is administered intravenously, and at the same time the issue of hospitalization in a specialized hospital is decided.

As for an attack of tachycardia, the patient himself usually copes with it using β-blockers, for example. However, such amateur activity is possible if the cause is known, a diagnosis has been established and treatment has been prescribed, otherwise you need to consult a doctor.

A clue in the nature of the pain

Sometimes it is really very difficult to distinguish between heart pain, and, accordingly, a heart attack, from pain of another origin, including cardiac, but there are still differences:

Gender, age, atherosclerosis

Probably the most common “affairs of the heart” is angina; this disease affects more than half of people with problems of the cardiovascular system. arterial vessels in general, and in particular, is the main cause of the development of angina, the clinical expression of which can be considered a heart attack.

insufficiency of blood supply to the myocardium due to blockage of the coronary arteries with the risk of formation and occurrence of a heart attack

Heart failure in patients with atherosclerosis is formed when there is a disproportion between the needs of the heart muscle for oxygen and the possibilities of blood circulation in the arterial vessels of the heart. This is especially pronounced if a person receives additional physical activity, and the heart has to work harder to provide the body’s tissues with the necessary substances. The situation will be complicated by the lack of bypass pathways with which the body could compensate for the disruption of blood flow. In addition, factors that negatively affect the arteries of the heart have a negative effect in this case:

During the systole phase (myocardial contraction), the loaded heart muscle compresses small arterial vessels, obstructing blood flow in them.

Increased end-diastolic volume, increased pressure in the LV (left ventricle), decreased myocardial contractility leads to increased pressure inside the heart muscle.

Symptoms of a heart attack arise from established coronary insufficiency. Due to an imbalance between the transport of oxygen in the blood and the need of the heart muscle for it, the myocardium begins to experience oxygen starvation and, under conditions of hypoxia, responds with ischemia. This should be remembered by people at risk for myocardial infarction (gender, age, weight, excessive loads, bad habits, hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis).

Attack with unchanged vessels

It should be noted that signs of an angina attack are not excluded in people who have unchanged heart vessels.

“Grab the heart” can also occur in other cases:

Enhanced production of physiologically active substances (catecholamines) and their accumulation in the myocardium during psycho-emotional and/or physical stress causes the heart to work intensively, which is manifested by rapid heartbeat. Under conditions of stress on the heart muscle, the myocardium requires an additional volume of oxygen, which cannot be delivered due to vasospasm and impaired blood flow caused by catecholamines. These active substances include the so-called “fear hormone” - adrenaline, the production of which is sometimes provoked by the patients themselves - lovers of various kinds of extreme sports. Another adrenal hormone, norepinephrine, called the “rage hormone,” which is actively synthesized during stress, contributes to palpitations, attacks of shortness of breath and angina. People with vegetative-vascular dystonia are very familiar with paroxysms caused by the influence of the sympathetic-adrenal system. They are characterized by a variety of symptoms and are often qualified as a panic attack: the blood vessels are clean, the heart is healthy, and the signs of an angina attack are obvious.

Under the influence of the sympathetic-adrenal system, activation of coagulation factors of hemostasis. When there is no agreement in the processes of coagulation and anticoagulation, the preconditions are created for the formation of disseminated intravascular coagulation (), which further aggravates coronary insufficiency, if it occurs, and promotes the development of myocardial ischemia.

If the movement of blood along the microcirculatory bed encounters an obstacle on its way, it is directed to bypass along the lateral vessels (collaterals). This adaptive mechanism exists in case of unforeseen circumstances and is especially developed in women, which is programmed by nature (pregnancy, childbirth), and the male gender is considered a risk factor. Women are protected by collaterals, however, for the time being, until hormonal function fades with the onset of menopause. After 60 years, both sexes are equally likely to have a heart attack. Insufficient development of collaterals(bypass) reduces the body's defenses, and a heart attack will occur faster in such people compared to patients in whom everything is fine in this regard. Clearly, young women of reproductive age benefit.

If a person is lucky, then during a heart attack, sudden acute coronary insufficiency can turn on mechanisms that compensate for blood circulation and thereby prevent the formation of an ischemic focus. In an attempt to adapt to the circumstances, existing anastomoses are revealed, and new ones are urgently formed. In addition, the myocardium tries to supplement the supply of oxygen by increasing its extraction from arterial blood. However The “coronary reserve” is not bottomless, and when it is depleted, the symptoms of a heart attack become more and more pronounced.

Video: heart attack - myocardial infarction in the program “Live Healthy!”

When talking about a heart attack and methods of dealing with it, you need to understand that this is a pathological condition caused by an acute lack of blood supply to the heart muscle.

Therefore, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, heart failure - all of this can be classified as heart attacks.

An ordinary person (not a doctor) will not be able to distinguish one condition from another by symptoms, but first aid for a heart attack at home for all these diagnoses will be identical.

How to detect a heart attack at home?

Pain in the sternum. It is most often pressing, less often burning. The pain can radiate to the left side: to the shoulder, shoulder girdle, neck and sometimes even to the lower jaw on the left.

Dyspnea– frequent shallow breathing.

Pale skin, cold sweat.

If at least one of the three symptoms is observed, the person’s task is to call an ambulance as soon as possible.

Knowing how to recognize a heart attack can possibly save a person's life. A heart attack is a serious matter, here the time to save a human life goes by seconds.

Many people wonder: “How does a heart attack start?”. It usually occurs unexpectedly, which is why many people get confused and don’t know what to do.

In addition to the three main symptoms, weakness, nausea or vomiting, arrhythmia, and dizziness appear against the background of a heart attack.

Such an unpleasant problem for many people as a panic attack (a malfunction of the nervous system) is confused by some with a heart attack.

The symptoms of a panic attack are really similar to a heart attack - lack of air, anxiety, feeling as if your heart is going to jump out of your chest. How not to confuse these problems and begin timely treatment of existing heart pathology?

During a heart attack, pain in the chest area can radiate to the arm, back, or neck. It can be long-lasting (from 10 minutes to several hours and even days). The intensity of the pain can change - sometimes it subsides, sometimes it becomes active again.

During a panic attack, chest pain usually goes away within 10–15 minutes. In this case, the person experiences strong fear, for example, that he may die or go crazy.

But a panic attack is not a disease at all, it is a mental attack that indicates that the nervous system is very tired. Panic attacks occur in people aged 20–50 years as a result of stress or phobias.

If you don’t know exactly what happened to you: a heart attack or a panic attack, then immediately call an ambulance. A regular electrocardiogram will definitely show the presence of heart problems.

If none are found, then the cause of chest pain lies in nervous disorders. In this case, you will have to treat panic attacks with antidepressants.

There are often times in life when a person has a heart attack, and there are no relatives, friends or just strangers nearby who could at least call an ambulance.

In this case, many patients are lost; during an attack, they wait for the continuation. But at this time they themselves can help themselves, save their lives.

How to relieve a heart attack at home if no one is around?

First, you need to pull yourself together and remember that you only have 5 (!) minutes left to do something, then you may simply faint and not regain consciousness.

Therefore, you need to act quickly:

Step 1: Start coughing

The patient must cough: draw air into your lungs as much as possible and start actively coughing every 1-2 seconds.

In this case, the blood begins to be actively saturated with oxygen, and by squeezing the chest, you will thereby help the heart pump blood better.

Step 2. Call an ambulance

State your address, phone number, intercom code, problem you are addressing.

Be sure to open the front door so that medical personnel can freely enter the apartment.

When calling an ambulance, you should not forget about such a technique as coughing. You need to cough constantly, without stopping until the ambulance arrives..

Step 3. Rub peroxide into the heart area

Pour a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution onto your palm and rub the preparation into the heart area.. The pain should subside a little.

If you suspect that a relative or friend has this problem, you need to help him immediately. What to do in case of a heart attack, what actions of a stranger will help save the patient’s life:

If after all the above actions the patient feels a little better, his breathing has resumed, the acute attack of pain has passed and you are waiting for an emergency team, then during this time it is advisable for the person helping the victim to prepare:

medications that the person took the day before - put them in a visible place so that the emergency doctor can see what the patient drank;

a list of drugs to which a person has an allergic reaction;

find his medical card, any medical documents - certificates, extracts, results of previous cardiograms, as well as a passport.

What is absolutely forbidden to do?

A person having a heart attack should not:

perform any physical activity - walking, standing, etc.;

eat food, drink coffee;

smoke;

give any pills or drugs if the person is unconscious.

Not only will you know how to help someone who is having a heart attack, but it is important to act now. And to do this, it is necessary to do the following even before the problem begins:

Knowledge of the rules for providing emergency care at home to a person having a heart attack increases the chances of a positive outcome.

But if a person is confused and does not know what actions to take, this can lead to the death of a sick relative, friend, co-worker, etc.

A mandatory step in case of a heart attack is to call an ambulance team, which will help relieve the attack and carry out the necessary resuscitation and treatment measures to save the patient’s life.

Signs of a heart attack are the appearance of pain in the chest, which can radiate to the left arm, shoulder blade, hands, left half of the neck and lower jaw, both arms, shoulders, and upper abdomen. The pain can be pressing, squeezing, burning or intense aching. If the pain is characterized as stabbing, cutting, aching, intensifying when changing body position or breathing, then we cannot talk about making an accurate diagnosis of a heart attack. Often the pain can be accompanied by weakness, shortness of breath, and severe sweating. The pain is felt for more than 5 minutes.

3.Give the patient aspirin and nitroglycerin. If severe weakness, sweating, shortness of breath or a sharp headache appears after taking nitroglycerin, the patient should be laid down, legs raised (on a pillow, cushion, etc.), given 1 glass of water, and no longer take the medicine. If the pain disappears and the condition improves after taking medications, you must call a doctor and follow his instructions;

4.If the pain persists, then you still need to take nitroglycerin and call an ambulance. If 10 minutes after taking nitroglycerin for the second time, the pain does not subside, then you need to take it a third time.

What not to do if you have a heart attack

1. A person with a heart attack should not get up, walk, smoke, or eat until the doctor’s permission;

2. If you are intolerant to aspirin or you took it that day, then you should not take it. Also, aspirin should be excluded if peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum is clearly worsened;

3. If blood pressure is low, if there is severe weakness, sweating, as well as severe headache, dizziness, acute disturbance of speech, vision or coordination of movements, then you should not take nitroglycerin.
Waiting for an ambulance

While you are waiting for the ambulance to arrive, provide first aid: make sure that the patient is sitting or lying down. Free the patient from constrictive clothing and do not leave him unattended until doctors arrive.

It is more difficult to provide first aid for a heart attack if the person has lost consciousness. First of all, you need to check your pulse and breathing. To do this, you need to approach the patient’s mouth and nose with your cheek, feel his breathing and at the same time you need to monitor the movements of the chest. Try feeling the pulse in the carotid artery, which is located just below the jaw on the side of the neck.

If a person's heart has stopped and you cannot feel them breathing, you need to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). By performing indirect body massage, even without the skills, you can save a person’s life. If CPR is not performed, a person’s chances of surviving cardiac arrest decrease by 7-10% every minute. Thanks to timely chest compressions, you can double or even triple the chances of resuming your heart function.