For the most part, most people would tell you that a heart attack could happen without you even knowing it. It does not help that media propagates the idea that you can simply fall down unconscious while clutching your chest. There have been cases, however, where a person was able to determine beforehand that a heart attack is about to happen. In those cases, some of the most common symptoms include the following:
1. Chest discomfort
This is considered to be the most common sign that you are about to have a heart attack. You would generally feel the discomfort radiating from the center of your chest. Some people would experience it for a few seconds while some would have to deal with discomfort that comes and goes. Generally, the discomfort would radiate to your upper extremities.
2. Shortness of breath
Shortness of breath in a person about to have a heart attack can happen with or without chest discomfort. You would generally feel too tired even if you have just been sitting.
3. Back or jaw pain
This particular symptom tends to occur more in women than in men. For some, the pain comes after the radiating discomfort. Depending on the gravity of the pain, some women might find themselves feeling nauseous
What should I do?
If you think you are about to have a heart attack, you would need to take the following steps:
1. Call 911.
You might think you still have a few minutes left to drive yourself to the hospital but this might not work in your favor no matter how near the hospital is.
2. Use an AED.
This would, of course, mean that you should have an AED unit on hand. If you are the one at risk for cardiac arrest, it would be best if you would train those around you on how to properly use the AED. Keep in mind that the AED should be stored in an accessible place. In a heart attack situation, time could either be your ally or your enemy.
3. Administer CPR.
If you are the victim, make sure that those around you would know how to administer, at the very least, chest compressions. The chest compression should be done for at least 100 per minute until the paramedics arrive. Now, if those around you have undergone a CPR training, they should be able to apply the whole C-A-B cycle.
4. Do not attempt cough CPR.
While many believe that coughing repeatedly and vigorously can help keep heart attack from happening, most medical professionals would tell you that this is not the case. In fact, it could even add more pressure to your heart.
Most cardiologists and medical professionals would tell you that, when it come to preventing a heart attack, your best move would be to have yourself checked early on especially if you are at a high risk. Familiarize yourself with the different risk factors for cardiac arrest so that you would know if there’s already a need for you to visit the doctor.
To make sure that you survive a heart attack, always keep an AED unit nearby. It also pays to know how to properly administer a CPR.
