Heart attacks always come unannounced. While it is agonising for the one suffering from it, the victim’s loved ones also get affected.

Heart attacks occur when oxygen fails to reach the circulatory centre of your body - the heart. All the vital organs require oxygen to function, which is provided to them regularly by the blood pumping through our body. When an important artery experiences blockage due to bad cholesterol, cardiac history or any other reason - the blood fails to reach the heart. This results in an individual experiencing heart attack. While the unsettling idea of witnessing a loved one experience a heart attack is distasteful… one must be prepared to intervene and cumber its effects. Here’s how you can be prepared for such a situation, should it occur to you or a loved one:

Be aware of the warning signs:
While the symptoms of a heart attack may vary, about 90% heart attack victims experience the most common symptoms. The most common indications are severe chest pain at the central or left part of the chest, incessant sweating, pain radiating to the arms, back, shoulder blades or jaw and breathlessness.

Call a medical emergency transportation service immediately:
Get medical attention as soon as possible. When you call an emergency service, they begin preparing the vital necessities even before transporting you to a medical facility. Avoid using a cab or having a loved one drive you to a medical facility unless absolutely necessary.

Always keep Aspirin handy:
Aspirin prevents blood clotting and ensures healthy blood flow to your arteries. Always have enough at your disposal and keep them at frequented places at home and office. Whenever you experience any symptoms, take a tablet with a glass of water.

Pick a comfortable spot:
Place the patient in a comfortable position. Loosen their clothes if that helps them feel better.

Always keep a list of your medical data handy:
Be it prior medication or any allergies, it’s important to keep this information with you and share it with your loved ones. It helps the paramedics analyse the situation and deliver medical aid appropriately.

Perform CPR if essential:
If a loved one has a history of heart attacks, it helps to train yourself to perform a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation procedure, if the need ever arises. If you are trained to perform a CPR, inform an emergency medical service personnel before administering it. Matters of the heart can be hard to address, but the little things you do before professional help arrives can go a long way.

Always have enough family members and friends informed about the warning signs of a heart attack. Heart attacks might come unannounced. But surrounding ourselves with well informed individuals can definitely make us better prepared to deal with them.

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