If you suspect you or someone else is having a heart attack, what should you do? If your first instinct is to drive to the nearest hospital, don’t.

Getting to the right hospital quickly will improve your chances of surviving a heart attack. Hospitals like Meadows Regional Medical Center can perform diagnostic and interventional cardiology procedures such as angioplasty and stent implantation. These time-saving treatments restore blood flow quickly and save time that could be destroying precious heart muscle.

So what should you do if you suspect you or someone else is having a heart attack? Call 911 and ask to be taken to a hospital that can provide interventional treatment.

• Chest discomfort – It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.


• Other upper body discomfort – This can appear in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.


• Shortness of breath – This can occur with chest discomfort or alone.


• Other signs – Cold sweats, nausea and lightheadedness can also be warning signs of a heart attack.

• Shortness of breath – This can accompany tightness high in the chest.


• Weakness or unusual fatigue – Weakness and fatigue are usually described as severe.


• Back or chest pain – This is often described as severe tightness, not necessarily pain.


• Other signs – Cold sweats, dizziness, anxiety, disturbed sleep and indigestion can all be warning signs of a heart attack.

• Cardiovascular disease has five major risk factors: hypertension, diabetes, family history, smoking and high cholesterol.


• 27% of all Georgia residents have been told by their doctor that their blood pressure is high.


• 7% of all Georgia adults are diabetic, up from 4% in 1992.


• 23% of Georgia residents smoke cigarettes – a number that’s remained steady over the past decade.


• 28% of South Central Georgia residents are obese, up from 12% in 1992.