When in Doubt…
When I was doing a post-doc in the late 1980s, I was part of a team of researchers who tested a group of swimmers. This was one of four parts of an overall documentary on an innovative look at health by the PBS’s Nova. I had about a half-second of screen time in this PBS film and that was it; no YouTube or Instagram videos to show. But the segment that had the most impact on me was a section on what to do when you think you’re having a heart attack.
The film crew happened on a case where a man didn’t feel right and thought he was having a heart attack, so he went to see his cardiologist. The nurse said he should go to the emergency room. He drove there by himself. There were many factors pointed out by an ER doc, but here are the two most important lessons:
- Heart attack pain can vary but most often presents itself as an elephant sitting on your chest and you can’t breathe.
- Call 911 or if you are close to an ER, have someone drive you but don’t drive yourself. Ambulance personnel know what to do to prevent further damage to your heart if it’s a heart attack, not to mention that they’re less likely to pass out.
Since watching that documentary, my mantra is when in doubt, check it out. Now.
During tomorrow night’s Insider Conference Call, I’m going to talk about two primary topics: the potential use of vaccines to prepare for future infections and the timing of intermittent fasting. If you become an Insider by 8 p.m. ET Wednesday evening, you can participate in the call and get your questions answered.
What are you prepared to do today?
