Heart attacks, early signs and your role as a bystander

With only a 12% survival rate, widow maker heart attacks can be terrifying. Time is crucial, and ensuring you get medical attention immediately can be lifesaving. Brian Loc, DO, cardiologist for Medical Associates Clinic at MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center shares the role a bystander plays in the response rate and how early heart attack care saves lives.

What is the widow maker heart attack?

There are three major arteries in your heart: one feeds the front wall (front of heart), one feed the left wall (left side) and one feeds the right wall (right side). A widow maker heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction, occurs when the front artery, the biggest is blocked.

“The front artery provides about 50% of your heart muscle’s blood supply,” says Dr. Loc. “When that artery is blocked, major damage can happen.”

Time is critical for your heart. When an artery is blocked, oxygen-rich blood cannot move through your heart, which can trigger abnormal heart rhythm and even cause cardiac arrest. Getting care immediately increases your chances of survival.

Do you know your heart's health?

Symptoms of a heart attack

Widow maker heart attacks have the same symptoms of other heart attacks. Symptoms to know include:

• Sudden chest pain.
• Pain in middle or left side of chest.
• Shooting pain in arm and neck.
• Nausea.
• Sweating.
• Dizziness.
• Shortness of breath.

“Don’t wait to see if the pain goes away,” says Dr. Albaghdadi. “If you are experiencing any of the symptoms or if you were previously able to do physical activities and suddenly it's more difficult, those are cause for concern.”

If you experience these symptoms, call 911 immediately.

Early heart attack care (EHAC)

Did you know you can experience heart attack symptoms days and weeks before the actual attack occurs? Knowing the signs of an early heart attack helps you act quickly and minimize damage to your heart. Early signs of a heart attack:

• Nausea
• Pain that travels down one or both arms
• Excessive drowsiness
• Anxiety
• Tightness in chest
• Back or jaw pain
• Dizziness
• Cold sweat
• Shortness of breath

“Recognizing these symptoms early and getting that evaluation early is essential to preventing complications,” says Dr. Loc. “If you know and can tell that someone is having a heart attack, getting help as early as possible is critical.”

A bystander’s role

If you see someone and suspect they may be having a heart attack, there are certain steps you can take to help them get the help they need.

• Stay clam
• Call 911
• Lay them down
• Follow next steps from medical professionals, if applicable
• CPR (if trained) or use automatic defibrillator, if applicable

Steps to prevent heart attacks 

There are a few things you can do today to help prevent your risk of a heart attack.

1. Stay active: About 50 minutes of exercise a week or 30 minutes, five times a week is recommended.
2. Improve your diet: Reducing the red meats, fatty and oily foods in your diet.
3. Monitor blood pressure: Stay as close to 120/80 as much as you can.
4. Maintain a healthy cholesterol: 140 is the recommended number for a heathy cholesterol.
5. Regulate sugar intake: Diabetes puts you at risk for heart attacks. Watching your sugar intake lowers your risk of developing diabetes.
6. Quit smoking: Smoking increases your blood pressure, which increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Know your health numbers

“Do as much as you can to modify your risk factors before you have a heart attack,” says Dr. Albaghdadi. “Make sure you know your numbers and monitor your health to keep your heart working.”