Can you function normally while having a heart attack?

With SMI, you may feel discomfort in the center of the chest and not a sharp pain on the left side of the chest, which many people associate with a heart attack. “People can even feel completely normal during an SMI and afterward, too, which further adds to the chance of missing the warning signs,” says Dr. Plutzky.

Are you aware during a heart attack?

People experiencing a heart attack often stay conscious and awake. In an acute heart attack, there’s usually one major blockage that some blood can flow around. The circulation is not as strong, but blood still reaches vital organs and the brain, so the person stays awake.

What does a person feel during a heart attack?

Chest pain or discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center or left side of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.

What should you not do during a heart attack?

What not to do during a heart attack

• Do not rely on just taking nitroglycerin. Taking a prescribed medication such as nitroglycerin that temporarily widens blood vessels to improve blood supply to the heart is unlikely to stop a heart attack.
• Do not cough repeatedly.
• Do not apply pressure on the chest.

Do you stop breathing during a heart attack?

Someone who’s having a cardiac arrest will suddenly lose consciousness and will stop breathing – or stop breathing normally. Unless immediately treated by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), this always leads to death within minutes. A person having a heart attack is at high risk of experiencing a cardiac arrest.

Should you lay down or sit up when having a heart attack?

Myth 4 Heart attack victims should lie down, rather than sit up. One in 10 of us believes this is a good idea, but it can make it harder to breathe. A half-sitting position with their knees bent and head and shoulders supported is best.