According the American Heart Association, there are nearly 1.5 million heart attacks each year leading to more than 400,000 deaths. A heart attack, or myocardial infarction, occurs when one of the coronary arteries that feed the heart muscle becomes blocked, usually from fatty buildup. This can cause the heart to stop and the portion of heart muscle that goes without blood and oxygen to die or become damaged. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of a heart attack include pressure or squeezing pain in the center of the chest, radiating pain into the shoulder, arm or even jaw, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea or vomiting and an impending sense of doom. Heart attacks can strike suddenly and quick treatment is required to avoid death or severe damage.
Call for Help
Whether you suspect you are having a heart attack or you encounter someone you believe is having an attack, call for emergency help first. Don't delay. Patients are much more likely to survive if they receive emergency medical attention in an emergency department within a short time from onset. More treatment options will be available if appropriate tests treatments are delivered quickly.
The first thing to do when confronted with a possible heart attack is to check for a pulse. Place two fingers on either side of the voice box and feel for the carotid pulse. If you discover that there is no pulse, lay the palm of your hand on the patient's chest just below the breastbone and pump it up and down. These chest compressions may help restart the heart.
CPR
When you discover that there is no pulse and the patient is not breathing, begin cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with artificial respirations simultaneously. This is much easier with two people who know the procedure. CPR is effective at restoring some blood flow and oxygen delivery until appropriate medical care can be provided. Do not stop CPR until relieved by another trained individual or a doctor. The American Red Cross offers CPR courses so that individuals may be better prepared to handle cardiac emergencies.
Emergency Room
Once the patient has been transported to the ER, he will be given oxygen therapy to ensure that the heart has to work as little as possible when delivering oxygen to the rest of the body. The heart rate and pressure will be checked and the patient will be given an electrocardiogram to measure the heart rhythm. Blood tests will be administered and other advanced imaging procedures will be conducted, such as an angiogram or CT scan. Clot-busting drugs and pain medication will also be a part of any emergency room treatment.
Advanced Treatments
More invasive treatments for a blocked artery could be required. You may have the clogged artery opened with a balloon angioplasty procedure and have a stent placed within the artery to help keep it open. If the left main coronary artery is blocked, you may need emergency coronary artery bypass surgery. This surgery is performed open heart and bypasses the coronary artery with a section of vein harvested from another part of your body.
