JAKARTA - A heart attack is a medical emergency that can occur anytime and anywhere. Not only does it attack the elderly, this disease can also be experienced by the productive age, even without a history of heart disease before.
Therefore, understanding the signs of a heart attack and the first aid steps is very important for the general public to know.
Many people still think that handling a heart attack is entirely the responsibility of medical personnel. In fact, the initial actions taken by people around the patient can play a big role in saving lives and preventing more severe heart damage.
One of the most common symptoms of a heart attack is chest pain, which usually feels like it is being pressed, weighed down, or pain that spreads to the left arm, neck, jaw, and back. In addition, patients can also experience shortness of breath, cold sweat, nausea, dizziness, and unusual fatigue.
Heart and vascular specialist, Dr. Isman Firdaus, Sp.JP SubSp IKKV (K), KI (K), MPH emphasized that when a person shows symptoms of chest pain suspected of being a heart attack, the first action to be taken is to stop the patient's activity.
"The most important thing is to ensure that patients immediately rest. Don't let them walk or do physical activities because it will make the heart work harder," explained dr. Isman, quoted from the PJN Harapan Kita YouTube channel on Saturday, January 17, 2026.
According to dr. Isman, patients should be placed in a sitting or lying position with the upper body slightly elevated, about 30 to 40 degrees. This position helps reduce the workload of the heart and make the patient breathe more comfortably.
"People around them can help by positioning the patient sitting or half lying down. After that, immediately ask for help or take the patient to the nearest health facility," he said.
He emphasized that delays in obtaining medical treatment can be fatal. Therefore, patients are not recommended to delay examination on the grounds that pain will disappear on its own.
dr. Isman explained that heart examination results such as electrocardiography (ECG) can show the type of heart attack experienced by the patient. One of the most dangerous conditions is ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI).
"If from the EKG examination it is found that there is ST elevation, then the condition is called STEMI. This is a severe heart attack that requires rapid treatment in the form of reperfusion," he said.
STEMI occurs due to total blockage of the coronary artery so that blood flow to the heart muscle is stopped. Without immediate treatment, heart tissue can experience permanent damage.
In STEMI patients, one of the common medical procedures performed is the placement of a heart ring or stent. This procedure is aimed at opening the blocked blood vessels so that blood flow returns to normal.
"The heart ring serves to open clogged arteries and keep blood vessels open," said dr. Isman.
In addition to launching blood flow, the ring also plays a role in preventing new blockages from forming and reducing the risk of a heart attack recurring later.
Dr. Isman emphasized the importance of time in treating STEMI patients. There is a golden period that is very important for the success of therapy.
"We have about 12 hours to perform reperfusion measures. For example, an attack occurs at 6 am, so until 6 pm there is still a chance to open the blockage," he explained.
The sooner the patient gets treatment, the greater the chance of the heart recovering and functioning properly.
In addition to help from the surrounding people, patients are also urged to remain calm when experiencing chest pain. Panic and excessive activity can actually worsen the condition.
"If you experience chest pain, try to stay calm, don't strain, avoid heavy activity, and immediately go to a health facility for cardiac recording," said dr. Isman.
Early examination is very important to determine whether the complaint is a heart attack or another condition that resembles the symptoms.
Heart attacks can be handled well if they are recognized early and handled quickly. Public awareness of symptoms and early first aid steps is the key to reducing the death rate from heart disease.
By remaining calm, providing the right help, and immediately seeking medical help, the chances of survival for heart attack patients can be significantly increased.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
