Please call 911 immediately if you are having chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding, sudden weakness or numbness, or if you think you have a medical emergency.
Heart Attack Treatment
Call 911
1. Know Heart Attack Symptoms
Chest discomfort that may last more than a few minutes or go away and come back. It may feel like squeezing, fullness, pressure, or pain.
Pain or discomfort in the upper body, including arm, left shoulder, back, neck, jaw, or below the breastbone.
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath (with or without chest pain).
Sweating or "cold sweat."
Indigestion, heartburn, nausea, or vomiting.
Light-headedness, dizziness, or extreme weakness.
Anxiety or rapid or irregular heartbeats.
2. Wait for Emergency Help to Arrive
Do not drive to the hospital unless you have no other option. Ambulance personnel can start care as soon as they arrive.
If there is no history of aspirin allergy or bleeding, emergency response may ask the person to chew one 325 mg aspirin slowly.
3. Follow Up
At the hospital, an emergency department doctor will examine the person and run tests to see if chest pain stems from a heart attack or another cause. Tests may include an electrocardiogram (ECG), chest X-ray, and blood tests.
Inform the person's doctor about the chest pain and ER visit.
WebMD Medical Reference
SOURCES:
Cleveland Clinic: "Call 911 – Before It's Too Late."
Cleveland Clinic: "Symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease."
Merck Manual: "Acute Coronary Syndromes."
American Heart Association: "Heart Attack Symptoms and Warning Signs."