Warning-sign checks
Coronary artery spasm: when to get help
Go through these in order and stop at the first one that applies. If you are reading this for someone else, answer for them.
1
Is any of this happening now?
Call 911Call emergency services for new, severe, or unexplained chest discomfort.
Seek emergency help if chest pain:
- Lasts more than a few minutes or keeps returning
- Does not improve as expected after prescribed rescue medicine
- Occurs with breathlessness, sweating, vomiting, confusion, or marked weakness
- Happens with fainting or a fast or irregular heartbeat
- Feels different from your usual episodes
Chest pain from spasm can feel the same as chest pain from a blocked artery, so it is safer to treat uncertain symptoms as an emergency.
Other emergency signs, for anyone
- Someone who is struggling to breathe, gasping, choking, or cannot get words out
- Someone who has chest pain, tightness or pressure lasting more than a few minutes
- Someone who has sudden weakness or drooping on one side of the face or body, slurred speech, or sudden confusion
- Someone who is unconscious, or cannot be woken
- Someone who is bleeding heavily and it will not stop with firm pressure
- Someone who has had a seizure that will not stop, or does not wake up afterwards
- Someone who has lips or skin that look pale, blue, grey or blotchy
- Someone who you believe has taken an overdose or swallowed something poisonous
2
Does any of this apply?
Book an appointmentArrange routine medical follow-up if established episodes are becoming more frequent, changing pattern, or affecting sleep and daily activities.
Also request a medication review if you have troublesome side effects or have started a drug that may affect blood vessels.
The article also says
Do not drive yourself when a heart attack or dangerous rhythm may be occurring.
Every sign above is quoted from the sofidex article on Coronary artery spasm. If you are not sure, err upward — it is always reasonable to be checked.