PHILADELPHIA – Heart attacks kill a lot of people in South Africa. according to a report commissioned by the Heart and Stroke Foundation, 125 South Africans have heart attacks every day, and of those, 33 die, meaning that there are over 12 000 heart attack deaths in the country every year.

While a person’s chances of surviving a heart attack depend on a range of factors, including the severity of the attack and the person’s overall health, quick action can dramatically improve the odds of survival. For this reason, it’s worth knowing exactly what to do when a heart attack strikes; the knowledge could save your life or the life of someone close to you.

Step 1: is this a heart attack?

The first step in dealing with a heart attack is to know when one is happening. in real life, heart attacks are not like they are in the movies where people clutch their chests, gasp, and fall over. Real heart attacks often start slowly, with mild pain that gradually increases or fades in and out, so if you’re at risk of a heart attack – if you’re over 50, overweight, a smoker, or have been diagnosed with heart disease – it’s important to be vigilant. these are the major symptoms to look out for:

• Chest pain. Chest pain is the most common symptom of a heart attack, and generally feels like pressure or pain in the centre of your chest.
• Other pain. Pain in other parts of the body, especially the arms, back, jaw, or stomach, are also common symptoms.
• Shortness of breath. Feeling like you can’t breathe in deep enough, gasping for air, or panting, together with chest pain, is a very good sign that a heart attack is in progress.
• Other symptoms. The most common other symptoms of heart attack are nausea, light-headedness, and a cold sweat.

Remember, it’s quite common for people who are having heart attacks to be uncertain of what’s happening; one of the reasons that so many people die from heart attacks is that they delay seeking help because they aren’t sure they’re actually having a heart attack. If you have the symptoms listed above, and you think you’re having a heart attack, seek help immediately, whether you’re sure or not.

Step 2: It’s a heart attack! Call an ambulance!

The first thing you need to do when you’re having a heart attack is to call an ambulance. When it comes to heart attacks, the sooner you get to a hospital the better, so don’t delay. Call an ambulance, and tell whoever you speak to that you think you’re having a heart attack, so that the paramedics come quickly and come prepared.  

If you’re somewhere off the beaten track, and you think it would take an ambulance too long to get to you, ask someone to drive you to the hospital – don’t try to drive yourself as you may well pass out at some point. Remember, though, that studies show people who arrive at the ER in ambulances get treated faster than those who arrive on their own steam, so if you can, use an ambulance.

Step 3: What can I do while I wait for the ambulance?

Once you’ve called for help, one useful thing you can do is to chew between 162 and 325mg of aspirin. Aspirin thins the blood, and is commonly given to people who are having heart attacks at the ER, so chewing one while you wait can be helpful (it’s best to chew because a chewed aspirin gets to the bloodstream faster than a swallowed one). Obviously, if you’re allergic to aspirin or you are on drugs that interact with it, you shouldn’t take any.

If you’ve had a heart attack before and you doctor has prescribed nitroglycerin tablets for you, you should take them as prescribed while you wait for the ambulance. you should also stay calm, and avoid moving around or doing anything strenuous.

A final useful thing to do, before you have a heart attack, is to get a copy of your resting electrocardiogram (ECG). If you’re at risk of heart attack, you should ask your doctor to do a resting ECG and to give you a copy of the results – having this available for the ER personnel can improve your treatment.

Preparation can help you survive a heart attack, so be aware of the symptoms, act quickly if you think you’re having one, and be prepared with aspirin or nitroglycerin and your ECG. And above all, stay calm and focus on getting help.