Can Coughing Save You During a Heart Attack?

If the following scenario sounds familiar, you’ve likely come across it on Facebook or other social media sites. It’s been around for a long time and has spread across the globe from Athens, Greece to Los Angeles, California, and beyond.

Like so much medical advice dispensed on the internet, this is not the recommend course of action.

“The American Heart Association (AHA) does not support ‘cough CPR’ because coughing does not effectively aid in increasing blood and oxygen circulation, which is the main goal of CPR,” says cardiologist Pritha P. Gupta, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. “The chest compressions used in CPR are effective because they help keep blood and oxygen flowing to the brain and other important organs, preventing irreversible organ damage. Simply coughing will not accomplish this very important goal.”

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Many people envision heart attacks (also called myocardial infarctions) as a person grabbing his or her chest and dramatically falling to the ground. While that can happen, heart attacks have a wide array of symptoms and severity, and they can vary between men and women. Among the most common symptoms for both genders is discomfort in the center of the chest that can last for several minutes. It can feel like pressure, squeezing, or fullness. Pain can go away and return. Women are more likely than men to experience other symptoms, such as shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

“If you suspect you’re having a heart attack, it is recommended that you chew one full-strength (325 mg) aspirin or four low-dose aspirin immediately after you call 911,” says Dr. Gupta. “When chewed, aspirin enters the bloodstream more quickly than it would if swallowed.”

Heart Attack vs Sudden Cardiac Arrest

A heart attack is like a plumbing problem: It occurs when blood flow is hampered by coronary arteries clogged with plaque (fat, cholesterol, or other substances). Like a kink in a hose, blood flow to the heart muscle is slowed or completely cut off. Usually when a heart attack occurs, the heart does not stop beating. If it does, it leads to what’s called sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).

Whereas a heart attack is slowed/stopped blood flow, SCA occurs when there is a malfunction in the heart’s electrical system. Many people who have SCA have some degree of heart disease and may have had a heart attack, but not known it. Nonetheless, there may be damage to the heart muscle. The damage can cause scar tissue formations that disrupt normal electrical signals, potentially leading to arrhythmia (abnormal heart beats). That’s why it’s important to be checked out, even if it feels like nothing significant has occurred. Atrial fibrillation (A-fib) and other arrhythmias are risk factors for SCA, as is coronary heart disease.

A person who has SCA will pass out quickly. Because the heart stops beating, death is imminent within minutes, unless CPR and/or an automated external defibrillator (AED) is used to shock the heart and restore a heartbeat. Bystanders should call 9-1-1 immediately and start administering CPR.

Taking a CPR course is a smart investment of time that can help save lives. Instructors teach you what to do in various situations, and you learn how to use AEDs. The training is often bundled with useful first aid courses. Find one near you by searching on the American Heart Association website at http://tiny.cc/xrew7y.

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