In an Emergency
- Call: 911.
- CONTACT THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY at 212-772-4444 or ANY PUBLIC SAFETY DESK.
Heart Attack
- Chest discomfort that may last more than a few minutes or go away and come back. It may feel like squeezing, fullness, pressure or pain.
- Pain or discomfort in the upper body, including arm, left shoulder, back, neck, jaw or below the breastbone.
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath (with or without chest pain).
- Sweating or "cold sweat."
- Indigestion, heartburn, nausea or vomiting.
- Light-headedness, dizziness or extreme weakness.
- Anxiety or rapid or irregular heartbeats.
- Do not drive to the hospital unless you have no other option. Ambulance personnel can start care as soon as they arrive.
- If there is no history of aspirin allergy or bleeding, emergency response may ask the person to chew one 325 mg aspirin slowly.
- At the hospital, an emergency department doctor will examine the person and run tests to see if chest pain stems from a heart attack or another cause. Tests may include an electrocardiogram (ECG), chest X-ray and blood tests.
- Inform the person's doctor about the chest pain and ER visit.
- If the person becomes unresponsive (or if found unresponsive), lower the person to the ground, expose the chest and start CPR with 30 chest compressions. Look inside the mouth each time you open the mouth to give breaths and remove any object seen.