There’s a simple technique that everyone can do if they are having a heart attack – or if they are with someone who is – that could determine if the attack is fatal or not.
Squeezing the victim’s arm hard for several minutes after an attack could protect up to a quarter of the heart from permanent damage, and it may be the difference between living and dying.
The technique – known as conditioning – works on the simple theory that restricting the flow of blood to an organ stops further damage occurring.
Scientists at Leicester University are researching the technique to discover just how effective it might be.
(Source: University of Leicester website).