What To Do If You Suspect Someone Is Having A Heart Attack, Cardiac Arrest, Or Stroke
Heart Attack / Cardiac Arrest
If you’re experiencing any symptoms associated with heart attack or cardiac arrest, make sure to contact emergency health services immediately. Even if you’re not sure whether they’re having a heart attack or stroke, it’s always best to have the assistance of medical professionals.
If someone you know collapsed suddenly, has no pulse, and isn’t breathing then call emergency health services and start to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). However, if you have not received any training in CPR, try calling someone nearby who knows how to. Avoid performing CPR yourself if you’ve never had any training or experience as this can do more harm than good.
Stroke
Contact emergency health services as soon as possible if you suspect you or someone you know is suffering from a stroke. Also, make sure to take note of when symptoms first started to appear. A specific kind of medication for stroke can only be administered after a certain period of time.
If someone appears to be suffering from a stroke, make sure to prevent them from falling asleep and avoid giving them any food, drinks, or medication without the approval of a doctor or medical professional.
Key Takeaways
The term heart attack and cardiac arrest are used interchangeably, but actually refer to two different things. While both are considered to be medical emergencies, heart attacks occur because of a blockage in the arteries while cardiac arrests happen because of issues in the way the heart beats.
Learn more about heart attacks, here.
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