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Capital Region Medical Center
CARDIOLOGY
Always make
the call first
What’s the first thing to do if you think
you’re having a heart attack? If you said,
“Take an aspirin,” guess again.
According to the American Heart
Association, you should:
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Always call 911 before doing anything
else. Don’t make the mistake of thinking
that your chest pain may go away if you
just take an aspirin. Waiting to call 911
could be deadly.
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The 911 operator may recommend
that you take an aspirin as long as you
don’t have an aspirin allergy or a health
condition that makes taking the drug too
risky.
Additional source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Our emergency staff is trained to immediately treat heart attacks.
Chances are
you’ve heard this before:
“I’m as serious as a heart attack.” People
say it when they want you to pay close
attention—which is exactly what you need to
do if you have symptoms of a heart attack.
A heart attack happens when blood flow
to a section of heart muscle is abruptly
blocked. If blood flow isn’t restored ASAP,
the affected muscle begins to die. Acting
quickly can prevent or limit damage to the
muscle—and save your life.
That’s why it’s crucial to get immediate
care if you’re having symptoms of a heart
attack. The three most common ones are:
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Chest pain.
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Upper-body discomfort, such as pain
in your back, jaw, neck, shoulders or
stomach.
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Shortness of breath.
Other signs of a heart attack include
breaking out in a cold sweat, feeling
unusually tired for no reason and feeling sick
to your stomach and vomiting.
Never wait and wonder
According to the National Heart, Lung, and
Blood Institute, more than 1 million people in
the U.S. have a heart attack every year. And
many of them don’t make it to the hospital
in time to get help.
Some people wait to act because they’re
embarrassed they might be mistaking
indigestion for a heart attack. Let a medical
professional diagnose you. Nobody in the
Emergency Department will think less of
you if it turns out you’re not having a heart
attack. Health experts are as serious as a
heart attack when they offer this advice:
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Call 911 if you’re having symptoms of a
heart attack. Don’t wait in the hope you’ll
soon feel better.
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Don’t drive yourself to the hospital.
Emergency medical services personnel
can start lifesaving treatments right away.
Don’t
play the
waiting game
Take heart attack symptoms seriously
Your heart is in good hands.
Learn more about our emergency
services and preventive heart care at
www.crmc.org/services/cardiology .