Brits urged to keep 'lifesaving' 30p pill at home in case of an emergency

Aspirin is a fairly cheap medicine you can pick up at the supermarket
-Credit: (Image: © Grace Cary / Getty)


Those with a history of heart issues in their family are urged to keep a packet of medicine at home, as it could prove a lifesaver in an emergency. A simple and affordable aspirin tablet could be crucial if you or someone close to you experiences a heart attack.

According to the NHS, after dialling 999 for help, there might still be a wait before paramedics arrive at your location. Time is of the essence in such emergencies, and having aspirin readily available in your medicine cabinet could make a huge difference.

As reported by the Express, the NHS states: "While waiting for an ambulance, it may help to chew and then swallow a tablet of aspirin (ideally 300mg), as long as the person having a heart attack is not allergic to aspirin. Aspirin helps to thin the blood and improves blood flow to the heart."

In instances where someone is experiencing a potential heart attack and enters cardiac arrest, an ambulance should be sent out immediately with the highest urgency. However, response times can average up to seven minutes, based on figures from the London Ambulance Service.

Aspirin's blood-thinning properties reduce the workload on the heart and decrease the chances of blood being obstructed by clots within the body. The pill is widely available across the UK in supermarkets and pharmacies, though some forms require a prescription.

Tesco sells 16 tablets of its own brand 300mg aspirin for 50p. Also, Superdrug has an aspirin pack available for 29p that also contains 16 tablets at the same dosage.

If heart disease runs in your family, you could be at a higher risk of suffering a heart attack. This can be due to a combination of genetic factors - such as shared living environments and lifestyle choices that all contribute to your family's heart health.

In the UK, around 290 daily hospital admissions (or one every five minutes) is down to a heart attack. The most common cause of heart attacks in the country is coronary heart disease (CHD) labelled by the British Heart Foundation as the "single biggest killer of both and men and women worldwide in 2019".

Knowing the signs to look out for is crucial if your family has a history of heart problems. The most common symptom of a heart attack is chest pain.

The intensity of the pain can vary from person to person. Usually, it's severe, tight and starts in the chest but can also radiate to other parts of the body - typically the arms, and more often than not, the left one.

There are several other symptoms to watch out for in yourself or others if you suspect a heart attack is happening or about to happen. According to the NHS website, these include:

  • feeling lightheaded or dizzy

  • sweating

  • shortness of breath

  • feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)

  • an overwhelming feeling of anxiety (similar to a panic attack)

  • coughing or wheezing