Surviving a Heart Attack

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread

I received this information via e-mail this morning. Thought it was such good info, I should pass it along.

6:15 p.m. and you're driving home (alone of course) after an unusually hard day on the job. You're really tired, upset and frustrated. Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest your home, unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make it that far. What can you do?

You've been trained in CPR but the guy that taught the course neglected to tell you how to perform it on yourself. How to survive a heart attack when alone. Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, this article seemed in order. Without help, the person whose heart stops beating properly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness.

However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest. A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let up until help arrives, or until the heart is to begin beating normally again. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital.

Tell as many other people as possible about this, it could save their lives!

From Health Cares, Rochester General Hospital via Chapter 240's Newsletter and THE BEAT GOES ON (reprint from The Mended Hearts, Inc. publication, Heart Response)

-- Dianne in Mass (dianne.bone@usa.net), May 23, 2001

Answers

HOAX!!!!! Check it out for yourself. Go to Rochester General Hospitals website. On the left side of the page, toward the bottom, click on " Important Notice Regarding the Article "How to Survive a Heart Attck When Alone." http://www.viahealth.org or http://www.viahealth.org.via_news/news1999/99_august_news/heartattack. htm

-- Terri Perry (teperry@stargate.net), May 23, 2001.

Apparently, the last poster was correct; that this is indeed, a hoax. I apologize if I mis-lead anyone. The advise sounded very plausible to me, but next time, I'll check out the info I get before I pass it along to others. Thanks.

Important Notice Regarding the article "How to Survive a Heart Attack When Alone."

Hundreds of people around the country have been receiving an e-mail message entitled "How to Survive a Heart Attack When Alone." This article recommends a procedure to survive a heart attack in which the victim is advised to repeatedly cough at regular intervals until help arrives.

The source of information for this article was attributed to ViaHealth Rochester General Hospital. This article is being propagated on the Internet as individuals send it to friends and acquaintances - and then those recipients of the memo send it to their friends and acquaintances, and so on.

We can find no record that an article even resembling this was produced by Rochester General Hospital within the last 20 years. Furthermore, the medical information listed in the article can not be verified by current medical literature and is in no way condoned by this hospital’s medical staff. Also, both The Mended Hearts, Inc., a support organization for heart patients, and the American Heart Association have said that this information should not be forwarded or used by anyone.

Please help us combat the proliferation of this misinformation. We ask that you please send this e-mail to anyone who sent you the article, and please ask them to do the same.

Sincerely,

Rich Sensenbach Web Development Coordinator ViaHealth Rochester General Hospital (716-922-1024

-- Dianne in Mass (dianne.bone@usa.net), May 23, 2001.


The best thing you can do in case you have chest pain and even THINK it might be heart or cardiac related is to get to an ER ASAP. Waiting is the wrong thing to do. Many, many times chest pain is a warning that should not be ignored. If your in the ER and suddenly develop an unstable heart rhythm you have a good chance of survival. If you develop a "fatal arhythmia" such as Ventricular Fibrillation at home - you'll die. Period.

35% of the people who have heart attacks never get a chance for a second one. Some don't get any warning. Some do.

Not everyone has the same Signs and Symptoms either. Chest pain, pressure, tightness w/ a radiation to the neck , jaw or arms (either one). Or radiation thru to the back or across the shoulders is a bad sign. Sometimes a real unusual "upset stomach".

If you notice these things and they go away w/ rest - It's Angina and is definatly a warning.

If accompanied by- shortness of breath, cold, clammy, sweating. Nausea or vomiting- CALL 911!!

No, these are NOT the only signs or symptoms- probably the most common though. If you have an uneasiness about an unexplained symptom and think you may have cardiac problems - your probably right and don't ignore it!

The earlier the interventions begin for cardiac trouble - the better the outcome AND the better the long term health. I've seen to many John Wayne types die, or suffer unneccessary heart damage from waiting. Remember - DON'T IGNORE CHEST PAIN!!

-- John in S. IN (jsmengel@hotmail.com), May 23, 2001.


Just wanted to add a note to this: women may experience heart attacks differently than men do. Often, there is little or none of the "crushing pain", "jaw/left arm pain", etc. that are typical of male heart attacks. Instead, a woman may experience unusual gastric symptoms -- such as "acid stomach" or burping uncontrollably. Or may have a dull mid-upper-back pain on exertion.

Basically, if you suspect something is not right in your chest (and you're not a hypochondriac!), don't waste time -- a trip to the emergency room is pretty cheap insurance.

-- Anita Evangelista (evangel@atlascomm.net), May 23, 2001.


Just be sure to carry an aspirin or two with you...it might help. I know it saved my stepfather!!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), May 23, 2001.


While I didn't have a heart attack [the cardiologist don't know why] I did have several symptoms. Shortness of breath was the most noticable I think, with chest pain and sour stomach close behind. If ya'll have any of these symptoms described by myself or the above posters--don't mess around. Get to a GOOD heart doctor and have a thorough exam! The procedures have changed quite a lot since my ordeal in April of 97. Now with more and better equipment/medications and procedures it's possible to get "fixed' without the big scar down your chest.

I'd heard people say about the leg pain being worse than the chest scar. After mine---I totally agree. Three incisions about 4" long on my right leg from just below the knee to almost as far as my inner thigh--I can tell when it's gonna rain---after 4 years!!!

Ya'll take care of yourself. It's easier to prevent heart problems than to fix'm later. Matt.24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), May 23, 2001.


Another heart problem that needs immediant attention is congestive heart failure. My symptems were swelling ankles, and an unusual dark gold color in the bathroom, total tiredness at any time, and I felt like I was breathing a thick fog.

-- mitch hearn (moopups1@aol.com), May 24, 2001.

About 2 years ago, I finally nagged my husband into seeing our family doctor because of a persistant cough. No other complaints, but later he did say his legs were "kinda weak". The doctor found his pulse so rapid she couldn't count it--hooked him up to EKG and it read out 180! Had probably been like that for several days. He was in atrial fib and the only way the rhythm could be regulated was to stop his heart and shock him. Two weeks later (we were monitoring him closely) pulse again became rapid, but was caught soon enough that he was fixed with IV meds. then put on oral med 3X day which has kept the rhythm regular, but a year after that, he was coughing again and I insisted he see the doctor--again no symptoms. He had had a heart attack and didn't know it! Angioplasty with stent fixed him up real good. The only risk factor he had was family history--all had heart trouble or high B/P. He is now 70, still very active, has never used nicotine or alcohol, has never been overweight. I guess my warning is: Don't rely on symptoms--there may not be any, or at least any serious ones.

-- ruth in s.e.Illinois (bobtravous@email.com), May 25, 2001.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ