How To Survive A Heart Attack

The very thought that you could have a heart attack at any time is terrifying. After all, the aftermath can often be fatal. But being unprepared is even worse, especially when you’re alone. So read these tips that will make surviving a heart attack a reality.

Knowing how to respond to heart attack symptoms can be crucial to saving your life. In many cases it is difficult to do anything when you are alone. But if you follow these recommendations, your chances of surviving a heart attack are higher. You must of course get medical help in time!

Is a heart attack the same as a cardiac arrest?

It is important to first understand the difference between cardiac arrest and heart attack. We do that before we tell you how surviving a heart attack is even possible. After all, many people often make the mistake of thinking that they are the same.

But that’s actually not the case. Both cardiac arrest and myocardial infarction (the medical term for a heart attack) are caused by poor circulation and insufficient blood supply . Yet the symptoms are different.

Cardiac arrest occurs when blood circulation in the body slows down. This causes the heart’s contractions to become irregular or weakened.

As a result, the body no longer receives enough oxygen where it is needed. As a result, the person loses consciousness as it begins to affect the brain.

In contrast, a heart attack or myocardial infarction occurs when blood flow to a specific part of the heart is reduced. This is often caused by a blocked artery. As a result, the tissue in this part of the heart begins to die.

If left untreated, this change in blood and oxygen supply can cause serious damage to the heart muscle. Symptoms that can often be associated with heart attacks act as early warning signs.

These include chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, excess sweating, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, and more.

Now you know the differences between cardiac arrest and heart attack. What follows are tips to increase your chances of survival if you have a heart attack when you’re alone. There is no foolproof way to survive a heart attack. However, what we are going to share with you below can still save your life.

How can you survive a heart attack?

• The first thing to do is to call 911 if you feel any unusual pain and discomfort in the area of ​​your heart. Contact your regular doctor immediately if you have already been diagnosed with an illness. Stop immediately on the side of the road if you are driving and experiencing the symptoms. Then call 112 as soon as possible.
• Never attempt to drive yourself to a hospital or clinic. It doesn’t matter how close you live to it. You can lose consciousness while driving, cause an accident and injure yourself and others.

• If you are already taking medication to control your heart disease, you may have a beta blocker. Take one while you wait for help.
• Is this your first heart attack? Then you should chew and swallow an aspirin as soon as possible. Aspirins help to avoid blood clots. They also promote blood flow by relaxing the walls of the arteries. This can help prevent the problem from getting worse while you wait.
• Whenever possible, you should move as little as possible, as this will prevent you from putting pressure on your heart muscle.
• Punch yourself in the chest above your heart when you can. This prevents the heart from straining too much to pump. This is very difficult to do yourself and is more effective if someone does it for you.

Finally some comments

Now you know what steps you should take to respond to a heart attack when you are alone. But why was the difference between cardiac arrest and heart attack so important?

Chances are, most of you have read about cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) online or in class. You can only do that in case of a heart attack.

This method has already saved many lives. However, it is important to know that it is not suitable for treating cardiac arrest. Often the articles on this topic do not explain the differences between the two. So a lot of people remain unsure about what they should do. Hopefully this article made it clearer for you!