Call 911 immediately. Keep the person calm, give aspirin if the dispatcher says to and they aren’t allergic, and start CPR and use an AED if they become unresponsive.
Act fast
- Call 911 right away.
- Keep the person sitting and calm.
- If they are not allergic and can swallow, have them chew 325 mg of aspirin (if the dispatcher says so).
- If they collapse and are not breathing, start CPR and use an AED.
Warning signs
Chest pressure, pain in the arm, jaw or back, shortness of breath, cold sweat, nausea and lightheadedness.
Women
May have fatigue, nausea or back or jaw pain without chest pain.
Don’t
Drive yourself to hospital.
Call 911 first
Heart attack is a medical emergency. Call 911 or the local emergency number immediately. Do not drive yourself, because emergency medical services can start treatment on the way and alert the hospital.
Warning signs
- Chest pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain lasting more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back.
- Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
- Shortness of breath.
- Cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
Women are more likely to have symptoms like shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting and back or jaw pain, sometimes without chest pain.
Aspirin
If the person is not allergic and has no condition that makes aspirin unsafe, the American Heart Association suggests chewing one regular 325 milligram aspirin (or four 81 milligram low dose) while waiting for help, if the dispatcher advises it. Aspirin helps reduce clotting.
Keep the person calm
Have them sit or lie in a comfortable position, such as with knees bent and back supported. Loosen tight clothing.
If the person becomes unresponsive
Check for breathing. If there is no breathing or only gasping, begin CPR with hard and fast chest compressions at 100 to 120 per minute in the center of the chest, about 2 inches deep for adults. Use an automated external defibrillator (AED) if available.
Time matters
About 805,000 Americans have a heart attack each year, according to the CDC. Treatment within the first hour improves survival and limits heart damage.
Do not
- Do not wait to see if symptoms go away.
- Do not give food or drink.
- Do not give nitroglycerin unless it was prescribed for that person.
Hands only CPR
Untrained bystanders can do compressions without rescue breaths until help arrives.
Immediate actions
Call 911 right away if you suspect a heart attack, and do not drive yourself or the person to the hospital, because paramedics can begin treatment on the way. The CDC reports about 805,000 heart attacks each year in the US, roughly one every 40 seconds. Classic signs are chest pressure or pain, pain spreading to the arm, jaw or back, shortness of breath, cold sweat and nausea. Women and older adults may have atypical symptoms such as fatigue, back or jaw pain and indigestion. Help the person sit down, loosen tight clothing and stay calm.
Aspirin, CPR and the AED
If the person is not allergic and the 911 dispatcher advises it, they may chew one regular 325 mg aspirin or four 81 mg low dose tablets, which helps reduce clotting. Do not give aspirin if they have been told never to take it or are bleeding. If the person collapses and is unresponsive and not breathing normally, begin hands only CPR: push hard and fast in the center of the chest at 100 to 120 compressions per minute, about 2 inches deep. Use an automated external defibrillator (AED) if one is available and follow its voice prompts. Early CPR can double or triple survival from cardiac arrest.
Based on data from the CDC and the American Heart Association
