If you or someone around you is experiencing signs of a heart attack, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, or discomfort in the arms, neck, jaw or back, call 911 immediately. Do not wait or try to drive yourself to the hospital. Every second counts, and emergency responders can begin life-saving treatment on the way to the hospital.
After having a cardiac arrest, your focus will be on avoiding a future cardiac event and protecting your heart health. During the following weeks and months, you’ll have regular checkups with a cardiologist and other members of your care team.
Keeping up with any needed follow-up care is important to prevent complications of cardiac arrest.
- Make sure you keep any scheduled appointments with your cardiology team.
- Take any medications exactly as directed.
- Tell your providers about any new symptoms you experience.
To help you recover after a cardiac arrest, you’ll need to participate in cardiac rehabilitation. This specialized program will help you learn how to care for your heart, offering supervised exercise, nutritional counseling and other supportive services.
