Imagine this: you’re home alone, and suddenly you feel a crushing metal claw squeezing your chest. Cold sweat breaks out, and your gut tells you this is serious. Maybe you remember viral videos saying to cough hard or pound your chest. Stop right there! These so-called remedies could actually make things worse—or even kill you.
I’m a doctor who also has a heart stent—so I’ve been on both sides of the situation: as a healthcare professional and as a patient. What works isn’t what you see floating around the internet. Let me walk you through three real, science-backed steps to take right away if you think you’re having a heart attack and you’re alone. This could genuinely buy you precious minutes—and possibly save your life. (Based in the insights of Dr. Alberto Sanagustín)
Key Takeaways:
- Never waste time waiting to see if chest pain passes—act fast.
- Ignore viral tricks like coughing or hitting your chest; these are dangerous myths.
- Follow the three proven steps: call emergency services, open the door, and use aspirin if it’s safe for you.
Let’s break things down so you’re truly prepared if the worst happens.
1. Know the Difference: Heart Attack vs. Cardiac Arrest
Before getting into what to do, it’s vital to understand what’s actually happening. Your heart has both “plumbing” (arteries) and “wiring” (the electrical system).
A heart attack (myocardial infarction) is a blockage in the plumbing—a clogged artery stops blood from reaching part of your heart muscle. This isn’t the same as cardiac arrest, which is when the heart’s electrical system short-circuits and the heart stops beating.
The viral advice about coughing or pounding your chest is a desperate attempt to fix a broken electrical wire (cardiac arrest). But if your pipes are clogged and you start pounding, you could actually break them—making things much, much worse. Don’t believe the myths. So what should you do?
2. First Step: Call Emergency Services—Immediately!
The most dangerous mistake people make when having a heart attack alone is waiting. They try to see if the pain will go away or delay calling to be “sure.” Don’t! Seconds matter.
The very first step is to call your local emergency number (911, 112, 061, etc.). Do it now.
When you call, be clear: say you have severe chest pain and you think you’re having a heart attack. Give your location right away. The dispatcher may ask questions—answer them, and keep the line open if possible. This sets everything in motion for help to arrive as fast as possible.
3. Second Step: Open the Door and Prepare for Help
Here’s a small but life-saving action people often overlook: open the front door and leave it unlocked. Why? If you lose consciousness before medics arrive, it will take them extra time to break down your door—and that’s precious time your heart muscle is dying.
So, right after you call emergency services, go open your door. If you have a dog, secure it so it doesn’t try to bite the people coming to save you. This can literally add five extra minutes of life-saving time—don’t forget this step!
4. Third Step: Use Aspirin If It’s Safe—But Be Careful
Now, chemical help. If it’s safe for you, take aspirin. Here’s how:
- Look for acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin) in your medicine cabinet.
- The ideal dose is around 300 mg.
- If you have 100 mg pills, take three.
- If you have a 500 mg pill, break it roughly in half.
- Only for adults—never for children or teens.
- Do not take aspirin if you have allergies to it, if your doctor has ever told you to avoid it, if you’re on strong blood thinners (like warfarin, acenocoumarol, apixaban, rivaroxaban, or similar), or if emergency dispatch tells you not to.
But here’s a crucial part: chew the aspirin instead of swallowing it whole with water. Chewing it lets the medicine get absorbed in your mouth and reach your bloodstream in about 5 minutes. Swallowing whole would make it act much slower—time you don’t have.
5. Stay Calm, Sit Down, and Wait—Smooth Physical Actions
Next, focus on your physical state. Ignore those stories you might read online about people hitting their chests or coughing hard and feeling better. They survived despite doing that, not because of it. That’s like crossing a crowded highway blindfolded and making it across by sheer luck—not what you want to stake your life on!
Coughing hard actually increases the pressure in your chest, which can make things worse or even cause you to pass out, hit your head, and end up with both a heart attack and a brain injury. Smacking your chest is just as bad. Remember—the American Heart Association does not recommend these maneuvers for the general public.
Instead, do this: sit yourself down, preferably on the floor. Lean your back against something firm (like a wall or couch), bend your knees, and stay still. This position lets you breathe easier and reduces how hard your heart has to work.
6. What Happens Next—and What Others Should Do If They Find You
By now, you’ve done everything you can: made the emergency call, left the door open, chewed aspirin, and calmed yourself. If you lose consciousness and someone finds you, they should check if you’re breathing and start CPR if not.
All this may sound simple, but each step buys you time—time for help to arrive and your heart to recover.
7. Prevention: Recognize Warning Signs Early
Surviving a heart attack is like winning a game in overtime. True victory comes from seeing it coming. As a doctor, I ignored weeks of clear warning signs by passing them off as stress or tiredness. I ended up narrowly avoiding a full-blown heart attack.
Your body may be sending you signals long before the crisis. Pay attention to symptoms like unexplained chest discomfort, unusual fatigue, or shortness of breath. Don’t wait for disaster to strike—learn about heart attack warning signs and take action early.
Conclusion: Be Ready, Not Lucky
Don’t count on luck or viral shortcuts. If you ever find yourself alone and think you’re having a heart attack, remember: call for help right away, prepare for the EMTs, safely chew aspirin if you can, and stay calm while you wait. These actions can make all the difference.
Share this guide with friends and family—everyone should know these steps. Your knowledge might just save a life, including your own. Stay safe, take care of your heart, and stay informed!
Source: Dr. Alberto Sanagustín