Plan Your Heart Attack Survival Strategy
By Chauncey Crandall, M.D.
“You’ve had a heart attack,” may be the most shocking words you’ll ever hear. Yet someone in the U.S. is told just that every 40 seconds.
Each year, over 800,000 Americans suffer a heart attack, with 605,000 stricken for the first time.
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Years ago, if a person had a heart attack there was a considerable chance he or she would not survive. For instance, in 1970 nearly 40% of older heart attack victims who made it to the hospital never left. But thanks to medical advances, that’s no longer the case. Today, that number is well below 10%.
If you have certain risk factors for heart disease, it could save your life to develop a strategy should you have a heart attack.
Plan ahead. If you have heart disease or a higher-than-average risk, you need to plan ahead. By planning, you’ll increase the likelihood you’ll not only survive, but that your heart will sustain as little damage as possible.
Call 911. If you think you’re having a heart attack, call 911. Don’t attempt to drive yourself to the hospital or have someone else do it. Paramedics can start procedures on the way to the hospital that may save your life. After dialing 911, chew a full-strength 325 mg aspirin (or 5 baby aspirin); make sure your door is unlocked and sit or lie down near it; have your list of medications nearby
; notify your spouse, family, or a close friend; and alert your doctor.
Manage your hospital stay. After emergency treatment, if you don’t have your own cardiologist, you will likely get the opportunity to choose a doctor. If you don’t know one, ask the nurses for a recommendation. Try to make sure you’re never left alone in the hospital so you’ll have an extra pair of eyes double-checking everything. Also, make sure your room is clean, ask for a social worker to help sort through medical bills, and pay attention to your hospital records, medications, and instructions during checkout.
Post-heart attack appointments. In your first post-heart attack doctor visit you’ll get information that will set the tone for your recovery and well beyond. Your cardiologist will review what happened in the hospital, your test results, and any complications you may have. He or she will go over your treatment protocol, medications, and a plan help you maintain a healthy heart.