Act fact: Over 24 lakh people die of heart attacks in India

GREATER KAILASH, India - March 16, 2013 - PRLog -- Water–soluble aspirin and clot-dissolving drugs can stop most heart attacks in progress, reduce disability and save lives. They work best if given within one hour of when signs of heart attack begin to appear. It is therefore important to recognize the warning signs of a heart attack and act right away, said Padma Shri & Dr. B C Roy National Awardee, Dr. KK Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India & National vice President-Elect IMA.

Every year, over 24 lakh people die of heart attacks in India. About half of those deaths take place within one hour of the onset of warning signs and before the patient ever reaches a hospital, added Dr Praveen Chandra, Chairman, and Interventional Cardiology at Medanta – The Medicity.  

The 5 warning signs of a heart attack, which everybody must know are:

1.      Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck or back.

2.      Feeling weak, lightheaded, or faint.

3.      Chest pain or discomfort.

4.      Pain or discomfort in the arms or shoulder.

5.      Shortness of breath

Act fast

1. Take 300 mg water–soluble aspirin and chew it if a heart attack is suspected.

2. Get yourself rushed to a nearest heart centre for clot–dissolving therapy.

3. You may require an emergency angiography and angioplasty to remove the clot.

4. If there is a cardiac arrest, the bystander should follow the CPR 10 mantra: “within 10 minutes of death, earlier the better; at least for the next 10 minutes, longer the better; compress the centre of the chest of the dead person continuously and effectively with a speed of 10x10 i.e. 100 per minute.

About HCFI : The only National Not for profit NGO, on whose mega community health education events, Govt. of India has released two National commemorative stamps and one cancellation stamp, and who has conducted one to one training on” Hands only CPR of 31112 People since 1st November 2012

The CPR 10 Mantra is – “within 10 minutes of death, earlier the better; at least for the next 10minutes, longer the better; compress the centre of the chest of the dead person continuously and effectively with a speed of 10x10 i.e. 100 per minute.”

About the author: Padmashri & Dr. B.C. Roy National Awardee, Dr. KK Aggarwal is a Senior Consultant, Physician, Cardiologist at Delhi based Moolchand Medcity, President Heart Care Foundation of India; Chairman Ethical Committee Delhi Medical Council and has served as the Research and Academic Wing Heads of National Indian Medical Association.