First, call 911. Second, CHEW two aspirin and swallow with water. If you swallow aspirin whole, it takes about 12 minutes for it to enter your bloodstream. But if you chew it first, it takes about 5 minutes to get to work. That savings of 7 minutes could save your life.
Most heart attacks involve blood clots that block the flow of blood through a coronary artery.
Aspirin inhibits clotting. So, while you are having a heart attack, aspirin may buy you time by preventing the blood clots from getting worse.