If you’re home alone and having a heart attack, heart surgeon: A practical reader guide

If you're home alone and having a heart attack, heart surgeon: A practical reader guide

Heart attacks are one of the leading causes of death globally and in India, representing about 20 percent of global heart attack deaths. India had 3,165,172 deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) in 2024, according to the World Heart Federation .

But what happens if you have a heart attack when you are home alone? In a September 21 Instagram post, Dr Jeremy London, a US-based double board-certified heart surgeon, listed three things you should be doing if you are home alone and you think you may be having a heart attack . If you’re home alone and having a heart attack, you should be doing these four key things: Lastly, in addition to calling emergency services, ensuring your home is visible, resting comfortably, and alerting family or friends, Dr Jeremy also advised chewing a single non–enteric-coated aspirin (162–325 mg) while waiting for help, according to him.

Therefore, if you have a history of heart disease , it is important to educate yourself and prepare your family members in case of an emergency.

He stated that unless there is a known aspirin allergy, active bleeding, or a clinician has told the patient not to take it, one can safely consume the medicine.