Why is the first hour of a heart attack critical?
The very 1st hour after a heart attack is called “the-golden-hour.” Heart disease makes for the no. 1 killer in India. Reports indicate that Indians suffer from heart problems around ten years earlier than people of other ethnicities. This is caused due to some factors like bad lifestyles, genes, etc. This hour can be the life-saver hour for patients experiencing heart attacks!
Why is the first hour of a heart attack critical?
For anyone experiencing a heart attack, getting immediate medical attention is critically important. If the patient is treated within 2-4 hrs, the surgeon can prevent damage to most permanent muscles. However, if treatment is delayed more than 5-6 hrs, a significant portion of the heart muscles can be damaged. In general, after about 12 hrs, the damage is mostly irreversible. Most cardiac arrests occur within the 1st hours after a heart attack. According to the CDC (Centers-for-Disease-Control-and-Prevention), nearly 47 percent of deaths are due to sudden cardiac arrest before any person reaches the hospital. Thus, this golden hour provides an opportunity for patients, families, as well as doctors for taking appropriate medical action to save the lives of patients.
Heart Attack Signs
As most people know, the most common sign is chest pain. In addition, other symptoms may also occur, including:
- Heaviness in chest
- Burning sensation in the chest
- Gasping or shortness of breath
- Feeling restless
- Heavy sweating
- Feeling pain in jaw, back & left arm persistently
Remain Prepared
- Keep the ambulance number and contact numbers of proximate hospitals handy always, so that you can contact them as soon as you need.
- When you feel the symptoms, reach the nearest hospital with a cardiac care facility, as soon as possible.
- Avoid self-drive and try to go to the hospital in an ambulance only.
- Call the hospital’s helpline numbers; so that they get activated much before the patient arrives at the hospital.
Take These Measures If Someone Collapses Suddenly
- Place the patient in a supine position quickly.
- Place your ear to the patient’s chest and listen to his heartbeat.
- Check whether the patient is breathing by holding your finger close to the patient’s nose. If not, initiate chest compressions and continue mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, if it is possible.
- Immediately call an ambulance to transport the patient to some nearby hospital.
Consult Dr. Arun
It is always better to prevent such events from happening in the first place. For this, it is very important to follow a heart-healthy lifestyle. All heart disease risk factors such as high BP, sugar, cholesterol, obesity, inactivity, smoking, etc., are all silent killers because they don’t cause unpleasant symptoms; therefore, most of us miss them. It is essential to have regular check-ups by a cardiologist. Dr. Arun is a highly skilled and truly experienced interventional cardiologist with extremely good ratings for the quality of care that you deserve. Take the golden step of early health precautions to give longer and healthier lives for all your family members.
