A letter with tips for self-treatment in the event of a heart attack is circulating on WhatsApp, Telegram and Co.
But these are not only wrong, they can even be dangerous.
Bremen – A message has been circulating on social networks and messenger services such as WhatsApp and Telegram for many years, promising rescue in the event of a heart attack.
The first-aid measures presented in it are not only very questionable, they can even aggravate the condition in an emergency, as reported by
kreiszeitung.de
.
An alleged emergency doctor recommends a technique with which those affected with heart attack symptoms can supposedly help themselves: With a deep breath every two seconds and a subsequent strong cough, you can therefore ensure your survival in an emergency until the emergency doctor arrives.
"Heavy coughing movements put pressure on the heart and keep the blood circulating" - according to the chain letter
The letter literally says: “Deep, long breaths bring more oxygen into the lungs and thus into the body and brain, and the violent coughing movements press the heart and keep the blood circulating.
The pressure on the heart also helps restore the heart's normal rhythm.
This is how heart attack victims can get to a hospital.”
And this is followed by a request to "tell this to as many other people as possible" because this alleged knowledge could "save their lives".
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An ominous WhatsApp message states that coughing is said to help with a heart attack.
But that's not the case.
© Arno Burgi/dpa/imago/Montage
Both the fear-mongering formulations in many places and the request for distribution immediately give rise to the suspicion that this is a chain letter of the kind that often appears on WhatsApp and Co.
Mostly it is a gag and thematically it often revolves around the topics of friendship and flirting, but sometimes also scams.
Experts warn: Tips such as coughing and breathing do not help at all against a heart attack
But a topic as serious as a heart attack is absolutely not to be trifled with.
Because the recommendations described in the letter are not correct at all, as experts explain.
Deep breathing and coughing is not only completely useless during a heart attack, but can actually make the condition worse.
Anyone who notices symptoms of a heart attack such as shortness of breath, pain in the chest or left arm, shoulder or jaw, or suddenly suffers from severe nausea or pain in the upper abdomen, should call the emergency number 112 immediately - and by no means complain about a cough or anything else handle techniques yourself.
Valuable time may be lost in the process.
"Any delay is potentially life-threatening, including any coughing maneuvers"
"Any delay is potentially life-threatening, which also includes any coughing maneuvers," warns Moritz Seiffert, senior consultant at the University Heart and Vascular Center in
Hamburg
.
According to the expert, there are no scientific studies that support this approach or prove its effectiveness in a heart attack.
Christiane Tiefenbacher, member of the board of the foundation and chief physician of the clinic for cardiology at the Marienhospital Wesel, points out that the coughing technique could even be dangerous: "In the worst case, coughing and increased breathing during a heart attack can reduce the oxygen supply to the heart muscle continue to deteriorate and put additional strain on the heart.”
During a heart attack, a blood clot blocks a vessel – this cannot be cleared with a cough
In individual cases, dangerous cardiac arrhythmias could be ended in the initial phase in this way before life-threatening ventricular fibrillation occurs.
But this has not been reliably proven either.
The specialist emphasizes that a blood clot that has blocked a vessel and thus led to a heart attack cannot be removed by coughing or breathing.
Instead, you should alert the emergency services immediately when the typical heart attack symptoms occur, both for yourself and for others.
According to the
German Heart Foundation,
waiting is very dangerous.
Waiting is dangerous in the event of a heart attack – it is best to call the emergency services immediately
Because if a larger part of the heart muscle dies, the body can no longer be supplied with oxygen and nutrients.
The lungs can no longer absorb oxygen, and the kidneys and liver no longer work.
The affected person then dies within hours or days of organ failure.
In the hospital, the clogged vessels must be reopened as quickly as possible to prevent the worst from happening.
The faster the heart muscle is supplied with blood again, the less damage there is to the heart.
Always take sudden heart attack symptoms seriously - even if they are weak
Sudden onset of symptoms that indicate a heart attack should therefore always be taken seriously.
Even if they are only weak, which is often the case.
If the rescue service is on the way, you should keep as calm as possible - even if you are alone.
If you are not affected yourself, but someone else, you should have a calming effect on them.
Under no circumstances should you leave the person alone so that you can immediately perform chest compressions in the event of a cardiac arrest.
In the event of a heart attack, you can provide effective help – for example with a cardiac massage
The patient should also be positioned as comfortably as possible, preferably with their upper body elevated.
Constrictive clothing should be opened to allow the patient to breathe more easily.
It also helps to open the windows to let more oxygen into the room.
How to do a chest compression:
The patient lies on their back.
To protect against infection, the mouth and nose should be covered with a thin cloth (e.g. a scarf or handkerchief).
Then you kneel down next to the person (whether right or left), put one hand on the middle of the chest and the second on the back of the hand of the first.
With arms straight, push the sternum deeply (two to six inches) and rapidly (100 to 120 times per minute) toward the spine (for example, to the beat of the Bee Gees' hit song "Stayin' Alive").
Fully relieve after each squeeze without losing contact between hand and sternum.
The chest compressions will continue until the rescue team arrives.
(Source: German Heart Foundation)
Do not spread chain letters with false advice about a heart attack
The said chain letter with the potentially life-threatening advice has already been passed on countless times.
According to
correctiv,
more than 330,000 times at the Telegram news service alone.
The news has been circulating for years, but the consequences of such Internet phenomena can be devastating if - as in this case - incorrect knowledge is circulated.
It is all the more important not to take part in it, even if you might find it conclusive when you read it for the first time and mean well with your fellow human beings.
The
German Heart Foundation
, which itself has received countless inquiries about the letter, therefore advises not to forward or follow the information.
Instead, if you suspect a heart attack or cardiac arrest, you should rely on first aid measures that follow medical guidelines.
List of rubrics: © Arno Burgi/dpa/imago/Montage
