Heart Attack Care: From Symptoms and Immediate Intervention to Local Treatment Options

When it comes to heart attacks, every second counts. Recognizing the warning signs, acting quickly, and understanding what happens next can make a life-saving difference.

Whether you're looking to protect your own heart or help a loved one in a crisis, knowing what to expect is the first step toward better outcomes. Here, Al Ponton, Riverside Healthcare’s Emergency Medical Services Manager, offers important information surrounding heart attack care—from understanding the symptoms to treatment protocols.

Early Heart Attack Care (EHAC): Symptoms to Watch Out For

The concept of early heart attack care (EHAC) emerged in the late 1980s and 1990s to help prevent death and disability from heart disease, with the Society of Chest Pain Centers launching a formal EHAC program in 1998. The initiative emphasizes early recognition of heart attack symptoms, which can vary between individuals and differ by gender. Common signs include chest discomfort or pressure lasting several minutes, pain radiating to the arm, jaw, neck, or back, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and cool, clammy skin.

“Most importantly, recognizing these signs and symptoms early is critical because prompt medical intervention could prevent heart damage, improve survival rates, and reduce complications,” explains Ponton. “Educating individuals about EHAC encourages seeking medical help quickly, which can subsequently improve outcomes.”

Myths and Misconceptions Surrounding Heart Attacks

There are several common misconceptions about heart attacks that can delay critical care. One is the belief that heart attacks always cause severe pain, when in fact, some may only produce mild discomfort—especially in women or people with diabetes. Another myth is that only older adults are at risk, but heart attacks can occur at any age due to factors like stress, smoking, obesity, or undiagnosed heart conditions.

Many also assume pain is always on the left side of the chest, but it can radiate to the right side, jaw, back, or shoulders. Additionally, some people wrongly dismiss symptoms that come and go, not realizing intermittent pain can still signal heart distress. Lastly, there's a false belief that only men experience “classic” heart attack symptoms, overlooking how symptoms can present differently in women.

“While that might be true to some degree, women often experience different or more subtle symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, extreme fatigue or discomfort, rather than that sharp chest pain that a lot of people say they have when they're having a heart attack,” notes Ponton. “Above all, recognizing these misconceptions can help individuals take early symptoms more seriously and seek prompt medical care.”

Taking Preventative Measures Reduces Heart Attack Risk

Heart attacks are influenced by a mix of lifestyle, medical, and genetic factors. While some risks—like age, gender, and family history—can’t be changed, many can be managed through lifestyle modifications and medication. Controllable (modifiable) risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, poor diet, smoking, physical inactivity, and chronic stress.

Strategies like eating a heart-healthy diet, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, managing blood sugar, and limiting alcohol can significantly lower heart attack risk. Even for those with non-modifiable risks, such as being over 45 (men) or 55 (women), or having a family history of heart disease, making proactive lifestyle changes is critical to prevention.

“Studies show that making heart-healthy lifestyle choices can significantly reduce your risk of having a heart attack, even in individuals genetically predisposed,” assures Ponton. “A combination of regular exercise and nutritious diet, stress management and avoiding smoking can cut heart attack risk rates by over eighty percent. So, making these changes early and maintaining them can improve heart health and overall well-being.”

Education and Awareness Saves Lives

Raising awareness about early heart attack symptoms and the importance of taking prompt action is crucial and can save lives. Education—both personal and community-wide—is key to recognizing warning signs and responding quickly.

“I am proud of how Riverside offers free heart scans in February for patients who have a Riverside primary care physician. I think that's one of the greatest things Riverside offers in ,” shares Ponton. “In addition, we offer traditional CPR classes and hands-only CPR for community members, and that comes through the EMS office.”

CPR is critical for heart attack survival, especially if the person goes into cardiac arrest and loses their pulse. Immediate CPR keeps blood flowing to vital organs until emergency responders arrive, greatly improving survival chances. Bystanders should call 9-1-1 right away, keep the person calm, loosen tight clothing, and—if appropriate—give aspirin if there's no allergy or history of bleeding.

If the person becomes unresponsive, start CPR immediately and use an AED (automated external defibrillator) if available. Even if you're not trained, 9-1-1 operators can guide you through CPR steps over the phone. Every minute without CPR lowers the chance of survival by 7–10%.

Ponton’s final takeaways? “Recognize those early signs of a heart attack, act fast because every minute counts, and live a healthy-heart lifestyle,” he urges. “And remember, Riverside Medical Center is a nationally certified chest pain center, part of our Heart and Vascular Institute providing rapid diagnosis and comprehensive treatment for heart attacks, including angioplasty and stenting. We are the only hospital locally that is able to do open heart surgery.”

For more information on heart care at Riverside, go to myrhc.net/heart.