Many people live alone these days, so when a heart attack strikes, they need to act quickly and apply this very simple self-help, to buy time before  their medical help arrives, or to get to a hospital.

Even though most people associate mainly chest pain with a possible heart attack, here is a list of the most common symptoms of heart attack found in most men and women:

• Chest discomfort, uncomfortable pressure over the chest
• fullness of chest

• squeezing of chest

• pain in the center of the chest

• spreading pain to inner side of left arm(occasionally right arm)

• Pain over the upper back

• Radiating pain to the jaw

• Radiating pain over the neck region

• Upper part the stomach(epigastric region)-In this condition usually women are mis diagnosed as they are suffering from gastritis and treated with antacids

• Nausea or vomiting

• Sweating

• Chest pain(30% only)

When a person suspects an oncoming heart attack, which might have different symptoms for men than for women, they need to cough repeatedly and very vigorously.   I have read in various articles that men might feel an oncoming heart attack by experiencing tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, and chest pain.  Women, on the other hand, may have totally different symptoms, such as pain between their shoulder blades, as well as pain in the lower jaw, radiating down their neck.

Take an aspirin as fast as you can, and call 911 immediately!!!

Without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly, and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness.

A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest.

A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again.

By taking deep breaths, it helps the oxygen get into the lungs, and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating, and help to regain normal rhythm.

Hopefully none of us will ever have to test this theory, but please keep it in mind and pass it on to your family and friends, since it might help someone to stay alive.