Heart attack - First Aid and Emergency Treatment Guide

What is Heart attack?

• Occurs when blood supply to vital organs gets blocked 
•  >50years / menopausal women at greater risk 
• Occurs with / without chest pain 
• Sudden arrest of breathing / heart function
• May result in cardiopulmonary arrest 
• Clot in the arteries blocks blood supply 
• Occurs due to:
1. Deposits of calcium / cholesterol
2. Hereditary factors
3. Tobacco
4. Obesity
5. High blood pressure
6. Emotional stress
7. Inflammatory disease of arteries
8. Trauma / disease of heart

Symptoms of Heart Attack  

• Chest pain

• Shoulder/arm pain 
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating 
• Heartburn 
• Nausea 
• Abdominal pain

First aid

• Try to relax 
• Loosen tight clothes 
• Take medicine, if any have been prescribed

• Pain subsides within 3 min of medicine intake 
• If not, see a doctor. 
• Give artifical respiration if required 
• Give Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) :
1. If no pulse is detected
2. By placing palm on chest to pump
• 15 pumps are followed by 2 artificial respiration 
• Continue till ambulance / doctor arrives 

Heart Attack Prevention

• Routine health check-up 
• Avoid stress 
• Quit smoking / alcohol

• Eat sensibly 
• Control blood pressure / diabetes

• Control weight