Resource: First Aid & CPR
How to respond to a Heart Attack.
A heart attack is a life threatening event that happens when the coronary arteries that supply blood to your heart muscle suddenly become blocked. If this happens part of the heart muscle begins to die.
Did you know that women experience different and more subtle heart attack symptoms to men?
According to Dr Angie Brown, Medical Director, Irish Heart Foundation, “most women think they are going to die from breast cancer when in fact they are six times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease.” Worryingly heart attack in women is often missed as the symptoms of heart attack in women can be different from that in men. “It can be very hard to diagnose and that’s why heart disease and heart attack is often missed in women,” Dr Brown added.
Signs and Symptoms
- Chest Pain
- Breathlessness
- Indigestion
- Feeling a sense of impending doom
- Rapid pulse
- Profuse sweating
Treatment
- Call 999/112
- Aspirin 300mg
- Monitor vital signs
- Assist patient with prescribed medication
- Maintain care until handover
Aspirin
Do not give aspirin to patients with:
- Allergy to Aspirin
- Bleeding disorder
- Bleeding ulcers
- Age (under 16 years)
Check:
- Is packaging undamaged?
- Tablets within expiry date?
- Strength of tablet (300 mg)?
- Dissolve in water and offer to patient or get them to chew the tablet
- Record time and monitor
CPG - Cardiac Chest Pain
