That viral “10-second heart attack trick” is dangerous misinformation if it suggests you can stop a heart attack yourself with a cough, drinking water, changing position, or another quick maneuver.
🚨 If you think you’re having a heart attack
- Call your local emergency medical service immediately. Don’t wait to see whether the symptoms disappear.
- Stop what you’re doing and sit or lie somewhere safe.
- Unlock the door if you’re alone, so emergency responders can get in.
- Follow the emergency dispatcher’s instructions.
- If you’ve been prescribed nitroglycerin for angina, use it exactly as previously instructed.
- Don’t drive yourself to the hospital unless there is absolutely no alternative.
- If the person becomes unresponsive and isn’t breathing normally, someone nearby should start CPR and use an AED if available.
Heart attack symptoms can include pressure, squeezing, or pain in the chest, discomfort spreading to the arm, back, neck, jaw, or stomach, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, or unusual weakness. Symptoms aren’t always dramatic, and women and older adults can sometimes have less typical symptoms.
Don’t try the “cough CPR” trick
The widely circulated advice to repeatedly cough forcefully during a heart attack is not a substitute for CPR or emergency treatment and isn’t recommended for an unresponsive person.
The most important “10-second action” is recognizing that a possible heart attack is an emergency and getting professional help immediately.
