Surviving a heart attack

Quick action is your best way to survive a heart attack. Clot-busting drugs and other artery-opening treatments san stop a heart attack right away, and prevent or limit damage to the heart. However, they need to be administered immediately after symptoms begin. The sooner they are started, the more good they will do–and the greater the chances are for survival and a full recovery. To be most effective, they need to be given ideally within 1 hour of the start of heart attack symptoms. Here are a few things to remember:

· Learn to identify the signs - People often don’t realize they are having a heart attack because they don’t recognize the symptoms.

· Don’t be embarrassed - Often people are afraid of causing a scene and fool themselves into thinking it’s not serious.

· Seek medical attention - Delay can be deadly. Seek medical help as soon as possible.

· Call 911 – Emergency medical technicians can begin treatment immediately. This is important especially if the patient goes into cardiac arrest. Also, people who arrive at the hospital by ambulance, tend to be treated faster than those who don’t.

· Prepare – Educate yourself on symptoms so you’ll be able to recognize them. Talk to your doctor about what to do in the event of a heart attack. Educate family and friends so that they will be prepared to recognize warning signs, or assist you in the event of an attack.

Source: National Heart Lung and Blood Institute

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