What to Expect When You Arrive at the Emergency Room
Emergency rooms operate on a triage basis. This means that they treat the most serious illnesses first. If you arrive with symptoms of a heart attack, they will see you quickly. Doctors will work to confirm your diagnosis, relieve your symptoms, and treat the problem. Depending upon your symptoms, you may have one or more of the following:
Medical history
Physical exam
Intravenous (IV) fluids
An electrocardiogram (ECG) to diagnose a heart attack
Electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring to screen for abnormal heart rhythms, called arrhythmias
Blood tests to confirm a heart attack
Medications, such as nitroglycerin, aspirin, and clot-busting drugs
Oxygen
Cardiac catheterization, which involves threading a flexible tube into the heart from a blood vessel in the wrist or groin to open a blocked artery