Tips to Survive a Heart Attack When you are Alone

The law of averages says that when people suffer a heart attack there is a good chance they will be alone when it happens.  Without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly causing them to feel faint, generally has  about 10 seconds before it is expected that they will lose consciousness.   There are a few things that a person can do to help prevent a probable loss of consciousness and lessen the severity of the Heart Attack.

The key is coughing, yes coughing and doing so repeatedly and vigorously.  A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough should be deep and prolonged, similar to when producing sputum from deep inside the chest. A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let-up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again.

This whole process is not meant to be a replacement for a visit to a doctor, regardless if your heart returns to a normal rhythm or not any heart attack victim needs to get to a hospital.  It is only meant to help victims to remain conscious and help the chances of survival.   Consult your family physician for more information on ways to help yourself during a heart attack.

Here’s how it works: The deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and the coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm.

Remember the best way to help yourself with a heart attack is by preventing one.  A healthy diet and keeping your cholesterol in check combined with regular visits to your family Doctor and an appropriate exercise routine are all keys to heart safety.  It’s your heart, treat it with love.