Heart Attack First Aid

Heart attack first aid knowledge can be of great help in case of heart attack emergency. The first hour of a heart attack is the "golden hour" where immediate help can increases the chances of recovery of the patient. This is a brief guide to the emergency first aid in heart attack.

Heart Attack First Aid : If You are With the Patient

-The first rule of emergency first aid in heart attack says, call for help but stay with the patient.
-Ask the person to lie down comfortable and put an aspirin tablet of any description under the tongue.
-Or immediately place the palm of your hand flat on the patient's chest just over the lower part of the breast bone. Then press your hand in a pumping motion just 2-3 times by using the other hand. This may make the heart beat again.
-Ask the patient to cough so that there is blood circulation.
-In severe cases provide artificial respiration and begin CPR.

Heart Attack First Aid : If You are a Patient

-Stop whatever you're doing and sit down or lie down.
-Take emergency tablet as prescribed by your doctor. Or take an aspirin unless you are allergic to aspirin.
- Call for help.
- If you can get to the hospital faster by car, have someone drive you. Do not drive yourself to the hospital.

You might also be interested in: What is Heart Attack

Emergency First Aid in Heart Attack

Apart from performing the above mentioned heart attack emergency pointers, a patient can be given artificial respiration (mouth to mouth resuscitation) and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) as emergency first aid in heart attack. Both these procedures have to be performed together. Though, one needs to be properly trained on resuscitation dummies for doing CPR and artificial respiration on a patient. Mentioned under are the details of:

Artificial Respiration

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

Also read : Heart Attack Symptoms

How to give Artificial Respiration?

-Tilt the head of the patient backwards and lift up his chin.
-Next, pinch shut the nostrils of the patient with two fingers so as to prevent air leakage.
-Take a deep breath and seal your mouth over the patient's mouth.
-Slowly, breathe into the patient's mouth. If done properly, it would take around two seconds to inflate the chest adequately.
-This should be done twice.
-The chest should rise as you breathe in. Stop blowing as it inflates.
-Repeat this procedure if the patient does not starts breathing on his own.

How to do CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)?

Check the pulse by putting your fingers in the groove within the windpipe and the side muscles of the neck. In case there is no pulse or you are unsure about it, go ahead with the following CPR instructions:

-Identify the 'upside-down V' shaped indent formed by the lower edge of ribcage. Now place the middle finger in this notch and index finger beside it resting on the breastbone. Next, make the heel of your other hand slide down the breastbone till it touches the index finger. The heel of the hand has to be positioned on the middle of the lower half of the breastbone.

-In the next step, one would need to put the heel of the other hand over the first one. Keep your fingers away from the chest as you lock them together. The pressure has to be made only by the heels of the hand.
-Straighten your elbows and put the body weight over the hands so that it is easier to press down.
-Be firm and quick in pressing down and creating a downward movement of 4 to 5 cm. Relax and repeat the same.
-Do the compressions for 15 times and then provide artificial respiration twice. Continue this 15:2 ratio till the time medical help arrives.
-The rate of compression should be aimed at around 100 per minute.

Heart Attack Pain Areas

If you're having a heart attack, you might feel pain in the following areas:

Important: This is just a brief guide to help a person during an emergency of heart attack. Though, this is not intended to be a replacement of heart attack first aid or resuscitation course.

Find out detailed information regarding heart attacks at:

Introduction to Heart Disease