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PrintAct Fast, Call 9-1-1
Now that you know the symptoms of heart attack, the next step is to act fast and know the best way to get help. When given quickly, medications and other treatments can stop a heart attack and prevent or limit damage to your heart. If you have any of the symptoms of heart attack, or if you think you might be having one, call 9-1-1 immediately for emergency medical care.
Minutes Matter!
Heart attack treatments work best when given within one hour of when your symptoms started.
- Within one hour: your risk of dying is cut in half
- Within three hours: your risk of dying is cut by 25 percent
Every 30 minutes you wait to get help could take one year off of your life!
Many women say they would only take action if their symptoms lasted for 30 minutes or more. Don't delay! If you wait too long to call for help, by the time you reach the hospital and have the necessary tests, it may be too late for treatment to prevent permanent heart damage. When it comes to heart attack, "time is heart muscle."
Doing the right thing is just as important as acting quickly. Although one-half of women say they would call 9-1-1 if they were having a heart attack, fewer than one in four actually do so.
"Even though I had all the symptoms, I was in denial that I was having a heart attack. No one in my family has had one and I figured I was too young. My message is call 9-1-1, even if you don't know where your symptoms are coming from. It may save your life!"—Michelle
