What If Someone Has a Heart Attack Then You’re Not Carrie, Fucking Bradshaw
Spoilers ahead for And Just Like …, the HBO Max reboot of Sex and the City , though the news is hard to ignore, whether you’re watching the show or not.
Consider yourself forewarned because, unlike Carrie Bradshaw, I get down to business right away. Here’s what’s going on: Carrie’s husband, John, also known as “Big,” has a heart attack. After tightening his cigar and completing an energetic indoor Peloton bike ride, Big falls next to the shower, where Carrie finds him and takes action. Actually, Carrie finds him and freezes. They look at each other. He falls sharply. She’s screaming. She rushes to him. She doesn’t call 911. She doesn’t give CPR. Instead, she tells us through Carrie Bradshaw’s iconic voiceover, “And that’s how Big died.”
Now fans everywhere, from stunned to outraged, are clamoring for answers: Is Carrie to blame for watching Big die? What should you actually do in this situation in real life? Will my peloton be my demise? ( Probably not .)
First things first, if you’re reading this because you think you or someone else is having a heart attack, call 911 now. Don’t be Carrie. Be a hero. Here’s what else you need to know to recognize the symptoms of a heart attack and what you should do if they occur.
How to recognize the symptoms of a heart attack
Some heart attacks come on suddenly, but many people get warning signs hours or days before. A person with a heart attack can have one or all of the following events, according to the Mayo Clinic :
- Chest pain, pressure or tightness, or a feeling of squeezing or aching pain in the center of the chest.
- Pain or discomfort that spreads to the shoulder, arm, back, neck, jaw, teeth, or sometimes to the upper abdomen.
- Nausea, indigestion, heartburn, or abdominal pain.
- Dyspnea
- Dizziness, dizziness, fainting
- Sweating
A heart attack usually causes chest pain for more than 15 minutes, although some people have no chest pain or pressure at all. This discomfort may persist or last for a couple of minutes, then disappear and then return. Women, for example, tend to have more vague symptoms such as nausea, back pain, or jaw pain.
Why is timing so important (looking at you Carrie)
According to a senior health editor of Lifehacker, certified for CPR, Lifehacker Beth Skorecki: ” Watch to see how someone dies, in fact, is not a good first aid.” While Carrie’s shock is understandable, Big’s death could have been avoided.
According to the Red Cross , seeking modern medical care when signs and symptoms of a heart attack are detected can minimize damage to the heart and can save a person’s life. Available data indicate about what the consequences of a heart attack are significantly improved if they receive care within 90 minutes after the onset of signs and symptoms, and within 60 minutes of hospital arrival.
So, for And Just Like That … fans: Rachel Handler investigated the facts of the Big Heart Attack in the Vulture . Handler discovered that Big must have had a heart attack within about 30 minutes when Carrie found him, which meant Carrie had time to act. So what should she have done?
What to do with a heart attack
For more information see the Red Cross Rules here .
Again, we want to be clear: the first thing you should do is call 911 or your local emergency number. Don’t ignore the symptoms. If you are experiencing symptoms of a heart attack and are unable to call an ambulance or ambulance, ask a neighbor or friend to take you to the nearest hospital. Drive on your own only if you have no other choice; as your condition may worsen, you and others are at risk of driving.
Second, be prepared to do CPR if someone else is experiencing symptoms, stops responding, and stops breathing normally. If the person is not breathing or you cannot detect a pulse, start CPR to maintain blood flow after calling the emergency room. Press firmly and quickly on the center of the person’s chest at a fairly fast pace – about 100 to 120 compressions per minute.
Even if you don’t know how to take a pulse or are not trained in CPR, you can still call 911 and apply pressure to a person’s chest according to these guidelines .
For now, here’s what else you can do:
- Chew and swallow aspirin while awaiting emergency treatment. Aspirin helps prevent blood clotting. Taking it during a heart attack can reduce heart damage.
- If prescribed, take nitroglycerin (such as Big). (Or Big was.) (Rest in peace, Big.) If you think you are having a heart attack and your doctor has previously prescribed nitroglycerin for you, take it as directed while awaiting a medical emergency.
- If an automatic external defibrillator (AED) is immediately available and the person is unconscious, follow the device’s instructions for use.
- Help the person to get into a comfortable position and remove tight clothing. Many people breathe easier while sitting.
- Calm down and monitor the person until the EMS staff arrives.
So, could Carrie save Big?
In theory, yes. Daniel Luger, a cardiologist at the University of Chicago Rush Medical Center, tells Vulture :
What [Carrie] needed to do was that when he passed out and lost his pulse, she needed to start CPR immediately. Feel your pulse, call for help, and begin compressing your chest. Because you can absolutely stimulate blood flow to the brain and the rest of the vital organs with CPR, and once the ambulance arrived, they could immediately resuscitate it with medication and defibrillation … This is PSA: if you see someone- then it loses consciousness, the first thing you do is feel for a pulse. If there is no pulse, you call an ambulance and immediately begin chest compressions. This way you can definitely save lives. He didn’t need to die. This is a damn parody.
Damn parody really. And guess what? I don’t even watch the show.
Here are our past articles on what to do if you think you’re having a heart attack and why it’s never worth the wait.