Heart Attack

Overview

What is a heart attack?

A heart attack (myocardial infarction or MI) is a serious medical emergency in which the supply of blood to the heart is suddenly blocked, usually by a blood clot.

A heart attack is a medical emergency.

If you think someone is having or has had a heart attack, call for an ambulance and then move them into a comfortable sitting position. 

Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms of a heart attack include:

• chest pain – the pain is usually located in the centre or left side of the chest and can feel like a sensation of pressure, tightness or squeezing
• pain in other parts of the body – it can feel as if the pain is travelling from the chest down 1 or both arms, or into the jaw, neck, back or abdomen (tummy)
• feeling lightheaded or dizzy
• sweating
• shortness of breath
• feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
• an overwhelming feeling of anxiety (similar to a panic attack)
• coughing or wheezing

Immediate First Aid Steps 

Call for an ambulance immediately if you think someone might be having a heart attack. The faster you act, the better their chances. 

Sit the person down and make them comfortable.

If they can, it's best for them to sit on the floor with their knees bent and their head and shoulders supported. If possible, place cushions behind them or under their knees.

If they're conscious, reassure them and ask them to take a 300mg aspirin tablet to chew slowly, (unless you know they shouldn't take aspirin, for example if they are under 16 or they say they are allergic to it). Aspirin helps to thin your blood and improve blood flow to your heart.

If the person has any medication for angina, help them to take it.

Monitor their vital signs, such as their breathing, until help arrives.

If the person deteriorates and becomes unconscious, open their airway, check their breathing and, if necessary, start CPR.

Call the ambulance to tell them you think the person is now in cardiac arrest (their heart has stopped beating).

Cardiac arrest 

In some cases, a complication called ventricular arrhythmia can cause the heart to stop beating. This is known as sudden cardiac arrest.

Signs and symptoms that suggest a person has gone into cardiac arrest include:

• they appear not to be breathing
• they're not moving
• they don't respond to any stimulation, such as being touched or spoken to

If you think somebody has gone into cardiac arrest, call for an ambulance immediately and start doing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

If there is someone with you, ask them to find an automated external defibrillator (AED) and use it as soon as you can.

When To Seek Medical Help

Call an ambulance or seek immediate medical help (e.g. Emergency Department) if:

• you think someone might be having a heart attack
• you think someone has gone into cardiac arrest