First Aid for Heart Attacks
When teaching health professionals one of the required elements of their courses is how to recognise someone who is having a heart attack, but this is equally important for all of us.
What is a heart attack?
It’s often confused with a cardiac arrest but a cardiac arrest is when someone’s heart stops beating and no longer pumps the blood around the body. When this happens they need you to act promptly to get help and begin CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation).
A heart attack may cause a cardiac arrest but it’s not the same. When someone suffers a heart attack a clot has developed in one of the tiny arteries that deliver blood and therefore oxygen to the muscle of the heart. Without this oxygen the cells begin to die as shown in the diagram, this is a heart attack.
How do you recognise if someone is having a heart attack?
Typically people having a heart attack will look pale, feel short of breath and feel sick. The pain that they experience is usually in the centre or left side of the chest and it can spread to their left arm, back, jaw and neck. However, when people are elderly or diabetic they may not get all of these symptoms so it can sometimes be difficult to be sure. Also women sometimes experience the pain more at the top of the abdomen. If you are unsure then get help by phoning 999.
What can you do?
Phone 999 – get help coming as soon as possible as the best treatment for heart attacks is what’s called Percutaneous Coronary Intervention but there is a ‘window of opportunity’ when it is most effective.
Sit them down – they will likely feel more comfortable sat down and if possible reclined or leaning against something with their legs raised.
GTN spray – if they have angina they might have their GTN spray with them so they could try taking that to help ease the pain. Be aware if they are having a heart attack then their spray may not get rid of the pain.
Aspirin – it’s common practice to give the person suffering a heart attack 300mg Aspirin. Your paramedics will do this when they arrive. Patients who are allergic to it shouldn’t be given it and those who are on Warfarin or are asthmatic may have been advised not to take it, again leave it to your paramedics. We give aspirin not for the pain but to help to thin the blood.
Stay with them – they are likely to feel anxious so having a calm presence whilst you wait for your help to arrive will help. Also if you’re in an area where there is emergency equipment available then it may be useful to bring it nearby.
Please share this so that more people will know how to recognise if someone is having a heart attack and feel free to comment.
Photo creditgandhiji40 via Compfight cc
Recent Comments