[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2018\/07\/am-i-having-a-heart-attack\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2018\/07\/am-i-having-a-heart-attack\/","headline":"‘Am I Having a Heart Attack?’ The Steps You Can Take to Save Your Life","name":"‘Am I Having a Heart Attack?’ The Steps You Can Take to Save Your Life","description":"Am I having a heart attack? Learn how to identify heart attack symptoms and the steps you can take if you believe you are having a heart attack.","datePublished":"2018-07-09","dateModified":"2022-08-26","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/heart-vascular","name":"Heart and Vascular Institute","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/heart-vascular","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/heart-and-vascular-institute\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/am-I-having-a-heart-attack.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/am-I-having-a-heart-attack.jpg","height":327,"width":754},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2018\/07\/am-i-having-a-heart-attack\/","about":["Health Topics A-Z","Heart and Vascular Health"],"wordCount":789,"keywords":["angioplasty","Bypass surgery","CAD","heart attack","nausea","Pain in the chest","stroke"],"articleBody":"\u201cAm I having a\u00a0heart attack?”Those words may be the first thing that spring to mind if you experience symptoms like chest pain or extreme shortness of breath.The first step in surviving a heart attack is being able to identify the symptoms so you can get help quickly. If you think you are experiencing a heart attack,\u00a0call 911 right away.What Is a Heart Attack?\u201cA heart attack occurs when part of the heart doesn’t receive enough blood flow due to a blockage in one or more of the coronary arteries,” says\u00a0Christopher B. Haas, DO, an interventional cardiologist and medical director of the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute at UPMC Western Maryland. \u201cImagine the arteries of the heart as pipes that supply blood to the muscle of the heart; if one or more of these pipes gets clogged up, the muscle no longer receives the oxygen and nourishment it needs. That deprived portion of the muscle begins to die and malfunction, and can lead to heart failure and\/or death.”Symptoms of a Heart AttackIt’s important to recognize the symptoms of a heart attack since delays in getting medical attention can lead to greater damage to your heart and be fatal. The faster you can get help, the better your chances of recovery. Here’s what to look for:Chest discomfort\/pain\/pressure \u2014\u00a0Usually lasts a few minutes or longer.Radiation of discomfort \u2014\u00a0Often moves to the stomach, jaw, arms, or back.Shortness of breath \u2014\u00a0Trouble breathing, particularly at rest, with or without chest discomfort.Nausea, cold sweats \u2014\u00a0These symptoms may occur with or without chest pain.In addition, the symptoms of a heart attack often differ greatly for women and men.\u201cWomen don’t always experience ‘classic’ symptoms, like crushing chest pain, radiating arm pain, or shortness of breath,” says Dr. Haas. \u201cHeart attack symptoms in women may be less dramatic and may include unusual fatigue, nausea, confusion, and what the patient often thinks is severe ‘anxiety.’ In women, we generally keep heart attack in the differential diagnosis for any symptoms that occur above the waist. ”How to Survive a Heart AttackIt’s scary to think about having a heart attack, but you can feel more prepared if you know what to do.Dr. Haas recommends that\u00a0your first step should be to call 911 right away\u00a0\u2013 whether you are alone or with others. Do not have a friend or family member drive you to the emergency room, and\u00a0do not drive yourself. Emergency medical professionals not only get you to the hospital faster, but they can start treating you immediately.If someone is having the classic symptoms of heart attack, and they are conscious and talking, after calling 911 it is reasonable to have them\u00a0chew\u00a0a full 325 mg aspirin or four of the 81 mg (baby) aspirins\u00a0as this can reduce the risk of serious complications from heart attack. For people not having classic heart attack symptoms, it is better to wait for emergency medical services to arrive and allow them to make the decision on taking aspirin.Getting Treatment for a Heart AttackTreatment for a heart attack\u00a0varies depending on the situation. However, quickly restoring blood flow to the heart helps to lessen the damage. Here are some typical ways this can be done:Clot-dissolving medicines \u2014\u00a0Emergency doctors may give you medicines to dissolve the clot in your vessel.Angioplasty \u2014\u00a0This nonsurgical technique involves\u00a0threading a catheter, usually through an artery in your wrist or groin, and a tiny balloon into your heart artery to open the blockage.Stent \u2014\u00a0Another nonsurgical technique in which the doctor may insert through the wrist or groin a small cylinder of metal called a stent. The stent is placed into the heart artery to help keep blood flowing through it. The stent stays in the artery and is not removed.Bypass surgery \u2014\u00a0If there are many blocked arteries, or blockages in very specific arteries of the heart, such as the critical left main artery, doctors may recommend bypass surgery to create a detour or “bypass” around the blockages. A bypass involves open heart surgery and using blood vessels harvested from other locations in the body (such as leg veins) to create the bypass.There are ways to reduce your risk for heart attack. Talk to your health care provider about your risks for a heart attack based on your family history and lifestyle, and learn how quitting smoking, adopting a heart healthy diet, stress reduction, and exercise can help you avoid one.To learn more about heart attack or heart issues, visit the\u00a0UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute website.Editor's Note: This article was originally published on July 9, 2018, and was last reviewed on August 26, 2022."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2018","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2018\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"07","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2018\/\/07\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"‘Am I Having a Heart Attack?’ The Steps You Can Take to Save Your Life","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2018\/07\/am-i-having-a-heart-attack\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]