crushing chest pain made them doubt that they were actually having a heart attack. Some who had atypical symptoms blamed their discomfort on indigestion and hoped it would just go away. Some people were worried about how much money it would cost to go to the hospital.
I cannot stress enough that if you think you are having a heart attack, call 911 immediately. When you call for help, the 911 operator may recommend that you chew an aspirin while you wait for the ambulance to arrive. Aspirin thins the blood and inhibits platelets from forming blood clots. Chewing the aspirin rather than swallowing it allows it to work faster to thin the blood.
If you have already been diagnosed with CHD, make sure your family is aware of the symptoms and warning signs of a heart attack. Encourage family members to get trained in CPR in case your heart stops due to a heart attack. Talk to your doctor about nitroglycerin tablets to see if you should have them on hand in the event of a heart attack.
Waqar Khan, M.D. has been in private practice and an affiliate faculty at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, and has been providing state-of-the-art cardiology services to the Houston area for over 20 years. Among his numerous awards and honors, Dr. Khan has been named one of Houston’s Top Docs multiple times by H Texas Magazine. Dr. Khan is board certified in Cardiology as well as Interventional Cardiology and is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology. Dr. Khan has been treating patients with cardiovascular disease for over twenty years. He has extensive experience in coronary, carotid and peripheral vascular interventions.