There are a lot of myths connected with a heart attack. Many of them are deadly for the patient. What can you do and what are you forbidden to do, if you have a heart attack? We will try to figure out.
Indeed, the first aid in case of a heart attack includes a lot of folk recipes. In case of a heart attack, some actions can be performed, but many of them are plain people’s myths.
Let the patient lie down in bed
This is not quite correct. Before the ambulance arrives, the patient must be placed lying with the head raised or even sitting. But it all depends on the situation.
If the patient has low blood pressure, pale skin, weak or slow pulse, it is better to let him/her lie with the head lowered. Patients with dyspnea should be sitting with their feet down.
Take nitroglycerin
Nitroglycerin usually does not completely stop the pain; this is what makes the pain of a heart attack different from the chest pain attack. This is where a mistake is usually made – the pain is not relieved, and another pill is given to the patient at once. Nitroglycerin can be given repeatedly at the intervals of 15 minutes. Patients with shortness of breath should necessarily take nitroglycerin – in such cases, nitroglycerin reduces breathing problems.
Measure the blood pressure
This is right. This may influence further actions. For example, if the patient has low blood pressure, pale skin, weak or slow pulse, it is preferable not to give him/her nitroglycerin in such cases as it may aggravate the patient’s condition.
Take aspirin
In case the patient is not allergic to it, it is advisable to chew 300 mg of aspirin. It is important to chew an aspirin pill; otherwise it will not work fast enough.
Put a heating pad on the heart
This is quite a common solution for many people. However, using a heating pad is not recommended. It does not eliminate the pain; it may even make it more acute.
Most of the patients have gasps, so a warm heating pad will only worsen the condition or annoy the patient.
Take gastrointestinal medicines
Sometimes the pain of a heart attack has the character of heartburn. Patients thus receive gastrointestinal agents and a soda solution.
If the discomfort does not disappear after taking the medicine for heartburn, you should immediately ask for medical help.
Unfortunately, advertising in the media tells a lot about how to treat neuralgia, heartburn, or a headache. These medications are known to everybody. However, the symptoms of a heart attack are not spoken about. This makes people try everything they hear about, not even thinking about the probability of a heart attack.
The most important action in case of a heart attack is to seek medical help immediately and deliver the patient to the hospital as soon as possible.
