Should one lie down?

[Mindyourbody]

Should a person with signs of an impending heart attack lie down after consuming two Aspirin?

[ed34]

yes we take 75mg as standard but research has shown there is no difference in effect between 75mg and 81mg. In fact, in todays newspaper here, it states you are 30% less likely to get bowel cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, throat cancer and a few others if you take an aspirin a day. So, perhaps the risk for internal bleeding is a bit more valid after all :)

Well, I'm not sure about the uncoated making much difference? Nothing passes through the stomach wall into the body anyway, and the coating is simply to protect the stomach until the pill reaches the small intestine where it quickly breaks down.

[RadioAstronomyObserver]

  And if I remember right, 75mg is the dose you take regularly now and is about the smallest dose available to you in the UK?  Where as in the US that would be 81mg?  The other thing to keep in mind for the original poster would be to take the uncoated type.

[ed34]

I was given 75mg x 2
but then injected in the lower abdomen with clexane on arrival at the hospital.

[RadioAstronomyObserver]

A related question; How much Aspirin should one take?  The original poster mentioned two pills, Would that be two 5mg pills of Aspirin? or two 5,000grams? or?....

[ed34]

Aspirin is to help prevent what they term the 'double whammy'. What usually happens is a piece of plaque breaks free from disease lining the artery and this MAY block a narrower vessel further down causing a heart attack. Where the plaque broke free, the surface is very irregular and the body commences repairs believing the artery to be damaged and losing blood, so it forms a clot, which will result in a second blockage. In most cases, it's the second blockage which causes death. Aspirin, being an anti coagulant, should give enough time for the patient to be taken to a cardiologist and administered something stronger such as clexane.  
Yes you should lie down and wait for the ambulance if possible, and relax all your muscles as much as possible, to lower the demand from the heart. Reassurance is also vital as stress from fear will work the heart very hard.

[cindy707]

The bottom line is the bottom line...if you or someone close to you feels that you are having a heart attack there is no question what should be done...you call 911 immediately without pause.  The reason most people take aspirin as a safeguard is to thin the blood and prevent clots....however aspirin does not disolve clots and clots are not the only thing that causes a heart attack...placque build up is a big one and there is no possible way for anyone to know if the heart attack is being caused by a clot or placque unless you are in a hospital...if it is being caused by a clot docs usually take care of it with a clot buster as its called and if its placque thats a whole nother ball game.  I wouldn't even hesitiate to call 911 with what you are saying and that means right now because if it does happen there is a very specific window of opportunity that is opened for a very short period of time in order to sustain life and once the person becomes unconscious with no vitals that window of opportunity is only open for 6 very short minutes period.  Call 911