It is important to recognize the symptoms of a heart attack not only for your own health but because you can save someone else’s life. Ideally the goal should be getting immediate medical attention for someone who has suffered a heart attack. This is done to try to minimize the amount of damage done to their system.
When people think about having a heart attack they imagine that it is like you see on TV. Although the chest gripping pain can come on suddenly, intensely, and quickly it is not always the case. Clearly if someone exhibits these symptoms you will need to contact 911 immediately. You need to be aware that not all heart attacks act this way. What other symptoms can occur? What happens if the person complains of pain that is coming and going? Believe it or not this can happen in a heart attack. People will sometimes complain that the pain is focuse in the center of their chest and comes and goes. Other symptoms can include pain in the neck, arms, and jaw, along with shortness of breath and the feeling of nausea. Cold and clammy skin can also go along with heart attacks. Would you know what to do if someone had a heart attack? First and foremost call 911 immediately. Ask if the person suffering from an attack is taking any medications such as nitroglycerine. Providing an asprin can be helpful as it helps to thin the blood out. Asprin should be chewed to get it into the blood stream the fastest. If the person becomes unconscious and stops breathing, be prepared to do CPR. It is always good to know basic first aid and CPR just for this reason. By you staying calm and thinking quickly you can save the life of a stranger or a loved one. Saving a life makes knowing the symptoms of a heart attack very important. You never know when one may strike.
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