If you think you or someone else is having a heart attack, act immediately. You usually have more than “seconds,” but every minute matters because early treatment can limit heart damage.
What to do if you may be having a heart attack
- Call emergency services right away
- Call your local emergency number (for example, 112/15 in Pakistan, depending on your location and available services).
- Do not drive yourself to the hospital if emergency help is available.
- Recognize warning signs
Possible symptoms include:- Pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain in the center of the chest
- Pain spreading to the arm, shoulder, back, neck, jaw, or stomach
- Shortness of breath
- Cold sweat, nausea, dizziness, or unusual weakness
Women, older adults, and people with diabetes may have less typical symptoms.
- Chew aspirin if appropriate
- If you are an adult, suspect a heart attack, are not allergic to aspirin, have not been told to avoid it (for example, due to certain bleeding risks), and emergency guidance in your area supports it, chewing a standard aspirin tablet (often 160–325 mg) while waiting can help reduce clot formation.
- If unsure, ask the emergency dispatcher.
- Sit down and rest
- Stop activity, sit upright or in a comfortable position, and try to stay calm.
- Loosen tight clothing.
- If the person becomes unresponsive
- Someone nearby should call emergency services and start CPR if they are not breathing normally.
- Use an AED (automated external defibrillator) if one is available.
Do not try to “walk it off,” wait to see if it passes, or rely on home remedies.
If you are asking because you or someone near you is having symptoms right now, tell me what symptoms are happening and whether the person is awake and breathing normally—but call emergency services first.
