As if a heart attack wasn't bad enough

One of the suggested ways of identifying whether someone is having a heart attack and perhaps one of the most memorable entries in the first aid manual is the reference to a “sense of impending doom” the patient may have.   Is it just me or does this make anyone else think of Private Frazer in Dad’s Army proclaiming “we’re doomed, I say, doomed” in his dour Scottish accent?
 
Joking aside it seems that this sense of impending doom is actually more relevant to the condition than previously thought.  It's certainly relevant to the long term health of the patient.  Researchers writing in the European Heart Journal have now theorised that this sense of impending doom, this fear of dying, can actually cause more damage to the patient and ultimately reduce their chances of making a full recovery.
 
The gist of the research was that an increased level of fear can cause a change in chemical levels within the body potentially causing problems in the future.  As if having a heart attack wasn’t bad enough, the stress caused by having a heart attack can be even more damaging.
 
So, if you do happen to be having a heart attack then chin up, try not to be too gloomy.  Perhaps you could try singing ‘always look on the bright side of life’ out loud.  You never know, it could be a life-saver.
 
If you’re not personally having a heart attack but someone else is, in reality there’s very little you can do to treat the physical aspects of a heart attack.  Place the patient in a comfortable position, offer them a 300mg aspirin tablet to chew (as long as they’re not allergic to aspirin) and perhaps provide oxygen if able to do so.  Other than, all you can do is wait until the paramedic arrives.
 
Although, as the evidence suggests, that is not all you can do.  You can talk to the patient, provide reassurance and not only make them comfortable physically, but make them comfortable emotionally.  Give the patient something to feel confident about and this could help lessen their sense of impending doom.
 
For further information on heart attacks, or any other condition, please look at the St John Ambulance web site.