An episode of severe chest pain that lasts for more than 2 minutes, or that is accompanied by other symptoms, such as shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting or intense sweating, for example, may indicate cardiac changes, such as angina or infarction, being necessary urgent medical attention. Know what chest pain can be.
The intensity of the symptoms can vary between people and, in more severe cases, the pain can radiate to the neck, back and arms. People over 40, diabetics, who have cholesterol or high blood pressure are more susceptible to suffering a heart attack or angina. Thus, it is important to adopt healthy lifestyle habits to avoid the occurrence of these problems, such as exercising regularly, having a balanced and balanced diet and avoiding alcohol and cigarette consumption.
The diagnosis of angina is made by means of electrocardiogram, measurement of cardiac enzymes in the blood, exercise test and echocardiogram. Learn more about angina and how to identify it.
What to do
Thus, first aid for people who experience chest pain are:
- Calming the victim, to reduce the work of the heart; Call SAMU 192 or ask someone to call you; Do not allow the victim to walk, sitting comfortably; Unbutton tight clothing to make breathing easier; Maintain a pleasant body temperature, avoiding situations of intense heat or cold; Do not give anything to drink, because if there is a loss of consciousness the victim may choke; Ask if the person uses any medication for emergency situations, such as Isordil and, if so, put the pill under the tongue; Ask and write down other medications that the person uses, to inform the medical team; Write down as much information as you can, about, for example, diseases that you have, where you do any follow-up, contact of a family member.
These first aid measures are essential both to help reduce damage to the person's heart and to facilitate the care and treatment provided by the emergency team, and therefore can help save a life.
If, at some point, the person loses consciousness, he should lie down with his head slightly elevated in relation to the body, or on his side, in addition to paying extra attention to vital signs, such as heartbeat and breathing, because, if stop, cardiac massage should be started. Here's how to do cardiac massage correctly.
In addition, it is important to know that myocardial infarction and angina can appear more quietly, such as a burning sensation or heaviness in the chest. In these cases, if the discomfort lasts for more than 20 minutes, it is also important to call SAMU 192 or go to the emergency room. Find out more about what causes it and how to recognize the symptoms of a heart attack.
