2.Drink a cup of water. 3.Immediately hike back down the hill and seek emergency medical attention. 4.Swallow one aspirin tablet. The symptoms described above, in an individual who has several major risk factors for heart disease, are most likely due to a heart attack, and taking one aspirin tablet might save that person's life. Aspirin, a blood thinner as well as an analgesic, can often help restore blood flow to the heart and prevent further blood clots from forming.
Heart attacks are exceedingly common.
Every year about 1.5 million Americans have heart attacks and more than half a million people die, making it the leading cause of death in the United States. A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to the heart muscle is reduced or completely blocked due to an obstruction in one or more of the arteries that supply blood to the heart. When the heart muscle is deprived of blood for more than a few hours, it dies. Many factors contribute to the risk of a heart attack. Just being a male increases one's risk of having a heart attack.