Chest pain can be an indication of various medical conditions, some of which are unrelated to the heart. However, a heart attack is a life-threatening emergency, and it is important to know when to seek emergency help for cardiovascular issues.
Heart Attack Symptoms
A heart attack occurs when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood to the heart, cutting off oxygen to heart tissue and causing it to die. Recognizing common heart attack symptoms can help you quickly decide whether emergency care is necessary.
Symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath
- Numbness, pain or tingling in the neck, jaw, back, or in one or both arms
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Squeezing, tightness or severe pain felt in the center of the chest
If you are worried you are experiencing a heart attack, call 911. While urgent care and primary care health settings are appropriate for many conditions, heart attack symptoms indicate a life-threatening condition and require the advanced care available at an emergency room.Â
It is better to be driven to the hospital in an ambulance because it has paramedics and equipment available to provide the hospital ER with an immediate assessment of your symptoms while en route to the emergency room.
Do not hesitate to seek emergency care during the pandemic. University of Maryland Medical System facilities are taking many precautions to keep our patients safe, including universal masking and a restricted visitor policy.
Heart Attack Treatment
Emergency medical staff will conduct a chest pain evaluation to determine if you have suffered a heart attack. The type of heart attack you experience will determine the recommended treatment. Emergency department protocol is to restore blood flow to the damaged part of the heart muscle.
Common heart attack treatments include:
- Angioplasty: This minimally invasive procedure involves the use of a balloon-tipped catheter to widen obstructed arteries and allow blood flow to return to a more normal state.
- Coronary artery bypass grafting: Procedure used when the blockage is too severe for angioplasty to be effective. Coronary bypass surgery creates new passageways for blood to flow to the affected part of the heart muscle.
- Stent placement: Once the blocked artery is cleared, a stent—a wire mesh tube—is inserted into the artery to hold it open and allow blood to flow more freely.
- Artificial heart valve surgery: The replacement of the affected or damaged heart valve with a mechanical valve or biological heart valve
- Heart transplant: The complete removal of the damaged heart, replacing it with a mechanical or healthy donor heart. This treatment is usually reserved for patients who have not responded positively to medication or other surgeries. University of Maryland Medical Center, the University of Maryland Medical System’s academic medical center, offers this advanced type of care for even the most complex heart conditions.
First Aid for Those Having a Heart Attack
If you are in a situation where you need to assist someone who is having a heart attack, consider the following steps as a guide:
- Sit the person down, loosen tight clothing and try to keep them calm.
- Ask the person if he or she has been prescribed nitroglycerin, and if so, administer it as prescribed.
- If symptoms do not improve within three minutes of taking the medication, call 911 immediately.
- If the person is unconscious or not breathing, call 911, then perform CPR, if needed, until help arrives.Â
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