[Paddlewise] Heart Attack Remedy

Hi all

General point of information - The following item had been posted to this
list awhile back (I'm sorry, but I don't remember who posted it at the
time).  Anyhow, I was wondering if it would work, so I sent it on to a
cardiologist friend of mine.  His response follows the original post.

Joan

Let's say it's 6:17 p.m. and you're driving home (alone of course) after
an
unusually hard day on the job.  Not only was the work load
extraordinarily
heavy, you also had a disagreement with your boss, and no matter how hard
you tried he just wouldn't see your side of the situation.  You're really
upset and the more you think about it the more uptight you become. All of
a
sudden you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to
radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw.  You are only about five
miles from the hospital nearest your home, unfortunately you don't know
if
you'll be able to make it that far. What can you do?

You've been trained in CPR but the guy that taught the course neglected
to
tell you how to perform it on yourself.........

HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE

Many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, what can you do?
Without help a person whose heart stops beating properly begins to feel
faint and has about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness. However,
these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very
vigorously.  A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the
cough
must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the
chest.  A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds
without let up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be
beating
normally again.

Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the
heart and keep the blood circulating.  The squeezing pressure on the
heart
also helps it regain normal rhythm.  In this way, heart attack victims
can
get to a phone and, between breaths, call for help.  You'll be giving
yourself CPR with this technique.

The above was taken from Health Cares, Rochester General Hospital via
Chapter 240s newsletter AND THE BEAT GOES ON... (reprint from The Mended
Hearts, Inc. publication, Heart Response)

		* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * *

It may work but call 911 first.  Sometimes during a heart attack an
arrhythmia
may lead to loss of consciousness which would make this maneuver
impossible.
Thus -- 911 first.  I would only recommend doing this maneuver if you
are getting lightheaded in which case you should do it lying down.  

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