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If you or someone you know shows symptoms of heart attack:
- Recognize the symptoms.
- Stop whatever you are doing and sit down or lie down.
- If symptoms last more than a few minutes, call a local emergency telephone number. Tell the dispatcher that you suspect heart attack, and give him the information needed to locate you.
- If you can get the victim to a hospital emergency room more quickly by driving there yourself, do so. If you think you are having a heart attack, ask someone to drive you there.
If you wait for an emergency medical crew:
- Loosen tight clothing, including a belt or a necktie. Help the victim to get comfortable, propping him with pillows if necessary.
- Stay calm, whether you are the victim or the helper. Excitement may increase the likelihood of life-threatening arrhythmia. Prayer can be a strengthening aid in remaining calm.
If the victim seems to stop breathing:
- In a loud voice ask, "Can you hear me?" If there is no response, if there is no pulse, and if the victim is not breathing, begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
- Remember the three basic steps of CPR:
- Lift the victim's chin up, in order to open the airway.
- With airway open, while pinching the victim's nostrils closed, blow slowly twice into the mouth until the chest rises.
- Press 10 to 15 times on the middle of the chest between the nipples to push blood out of the heart and the chest. Every 15 seconds, cycle two breaths followed by 15 compressions until pulse and breathing are regained or the emergency team arrives.
CPR should be performed by someone trained to do it. But when no one trained is available, "any CPR is better than none," says Dr. R. Cummins, a director of emergency cardiac care. Unless someone initiates these steps, chances of survival are very poor. CPR buys time until help arrives.
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