What to do in case of a heart attack - first aid

According to statistics, approximately 50% of deaths from myocardial infarction occur due to the fact that first aid was not provided in a timely manner in case of a heart attack.

It depends not only on the quick arrival of the ambulance team, but also on how the people around the patient act before the doctors arrive, because necrosis of the heart muscle develops quickly and every missed minute can cost a person life.

But how can you tell if you're having a heart attack? How to help a sick person?

Signs of acute heart failure

A heart attack develops due to blockage of a coronary vessel by a thrombus, a cholesterol plaque, or for other reasons, when blood stops flowing to a certain area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe myocardium, it dies. The death of a section of the heart muscle occurs quickly, but if the symptoms are recognized in a timely manner, then the negative consequences can be significantly reduced.

The main signs of a beginning heart attack will be:

• feeling of squeezing and burning behind the sternum;
• severe pain in the region of the heart;
• cardiopalmus;
• numbness of the shoulder and arm, more often on the left side;
• panic feeling of fear;

• increased sweating;
• nausea and heartburn may occur.

These classic symptoms are common in patients of both sexes, but in some cases, signs of a heart attack in women may be subtle:

• feeling very tired even after a long rest;
• insomnia;
• constant or intermittent feeling of lack of air;
• "flu" sensations (weakness, weakness, sticky cold sweat);
• discomfort behind the sternum (pain syndrome is not always clearly expressed);
• retrosternal pain radiates to the neck, jaw or ear, often felt as a sign of ENT disease or osteochondrosis.

Often people ignore implicit cardiac symptoms, especially if they occur for the first time or occur against the background of already existing angina or coronary disease.

In many patients with acute pathology, it was noted that in a few more days there was severe weakness, fatigue and swelling of the legs. Such symptoms often served as a harbinger of the development of acute coronary insufficiency.

It must be remembered that if the pain syndrome occurs on the left behind the sternum and there are at least 2 of the above signs, then it is necessary to act, as in a heart attack, start providing first aid quickly. Perhaps this will be a false alarm, the medical team called after taking the ECG diagnoses another source of symptoms, and perhaps such vigilance will help save a person's life.

What can trigger an attack

Coronary disorders do not occur without a reason, and what a person has experienced before will help a little in how to recognize a heart attack.

Acute myocardial infarction is characterized by:

• the appearance at night or early in the morning, if the day before the person experienced physical overload or severe stress;
• the occurrence immediately or several hours after a strong manifestation of emotions (this can be both a joyful and sad event);
• drinking alcohol 6-12 hours before a sharp deterioration in the condition;

• visiting a bath or sauna, as well as insufficient fluid intake in the heat (dehydration of the body contributes to thickening of the blood and poor blood flow).

Such people are conscious and often themselves name the alleged cause of a sharp deterioration in well-being.

But you need not only to recognize the signs of myocardial dysfunction, but also to know what to do in case of a heart attack.

Competent provision of first aid

Heart attack - what to do if it occurs?

In order not to ask a similar question when a loved one or just a passerby on the street became ill, it is recommended to remember the following simple algorithm of actions:

• Call an ambulance. This is the first action. The rest of the activities should be carried out while waiting for the medical team.
• Place the person on a flat surface with a pillow or rolled-up clothing under the head and shoulders. In no case should you give water or feed the patient; if you feel thirsty, you should moisten your lips with a damp cloth.
• Loosen a collar, belt, or other piece of clothing that interferes with normal breathing.
• Try to calm the sick person.
• Give a Nitroglycerin tablet under the tongue (preferably with Validol, this will provide a milder effect of Nitroglycerin, but will not affect its effectiveness). If necessary, after 5-10 minutes, the tablets can be given again.

• If there is no allergy to Aspirin, then the patient is recommended to give a tablet to chew to prevent the further development of coronary thrombosis.
• Constantly monitor the pressure and pulse of the patient. If the case takes place on the street and there is no possibility of controlling blood pressure, then attention should be paid to the pulse and consciousness of the patient. If the pulse becomes rare, and consciousness is lost, then it is recommended to start a heart massage with a frequency of 60 strong chest compressions per minute.

In case of a heart attack, first aid should be provided quickly, sometimes a minute delay can cost a person life.

If the case takes place at home, then before the ambulance arrives, it is recommended to prepare all medical documents about existing diseases (old ECGs, extracts from the hospital, and others), which will help doctors in clarifying the diagnosis.

Timely commencement of first aid in case of a heart attack significantly increases a person's chances of a favorable outcome in the development of coronary blood flow insufficiency. Knowing how to deal with an acute heart attack can save the life of a loved one.