Heart Attack and Unstable Angina
When to Call a Doctor
Call 911 or other emergency services immediately if you have any of the following symptoms of a heart attack:
- You have chest pain that has not improved or that gets worse within 5 minutes after taking 1 dose of nitroglycerin and/or resting. After calling 911, continue to stay on the phone with the emergency operator. He or she will give you further instructions. See how to take nitroglycerin.
- You have chest pain or discomfort that is crushing or squeezing, feels like pressure on the chest, and gets worse or lasts more than 5 minutes, especially if it occurs with any of the following symptoms:
- Sweating
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea or vomiting
- Pain that spreads from the chest to the neck, the jaw, or one or both shoulders or arms
- Dizziness or light-headedness
- A fast or irregular pulse
- Signs of shock
Women are more likely to have symptoms such as shortness of breath, heartburn, nausea, jaw pain, back pain, or fatigue.
After calling 911 or other emergency services, you should chew 1 regular-strength ASA (325 mg) unless you cannot take ASA because of allergy or some other reason. By calling 911 and taking an ambulance to the hospital, you may be able to start treatment before you arrive at the hospital. If any complications occur along the way, ambulance personnel are trained to evaluate and treat them.
If an ambulance is not readily available, have someone else drive you to the emergency room. Do not drive yourself to the hospital.
If you witness a person become unconscious, call 911 or other emergency services and start CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). The emergency operator can coach you on how to perform CPR. To learn more about CPR, see the Rescue Breathing and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) section of the topic Dealing With Emergencies.
Never wait if you have symptoms of a heart attack. Many people are unsure if they are having a heart attack and take a "wait and see" approach. Heart attack symptoms can vary. People often discount their symptoms if they do not fit into the expected "extreme chest pain" scenario. Some people are embarrassed or don't want to bother others by calling for help if they think it may not be a heart attack. Even if you're not sure it's a heart attack, you should still have it checked out. Rapid treatment can save your life.
Who to See
In larger cities and towns, you will be evaluated and treated by an emergency medicine specialist in the emergency room. In smaller communities, you may be evaluated by a family doctor. For ongoing care, the emergency medicine specialist will refer you to a cardiologist. In smaller communities, your family doctor often will provide continuing care. If you need surgery, you will be referred to a cardiovascular surgeon.
More information
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| Author: | Robin Parks, MS | Last Updated: February 26, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology | |
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