A man has opened up about his experience of a heart attack after catching the terrifying medical emergency on camera as it took hold.
Heart attacks – which are known medically as myocardial infarction – occur when the flow of blood to the heart is severely reduced or blocked, often because of a buildup of fat and cholesterol deposits in the arteries of the heart, per Mayo Clinic.
Symptoms can vary, including chest pain, pain or discomfort that spreads to the shoulder, arm, back, neck, or jaw, as well as nausea and cold sweats, among others.
Urgent medical treatment is needed in the event of a heart attack in order to prevent death, and while some heart attacks come on suddenly, others exhibit warning signs hours, days, or even weeks in advance.
Alain Bruno caught the moment his heart attack began on camera, after experiencing several “strange” symptoms in the days preceding it.
He shared the footage on YouTube in 2015, telling his subscribers at the time: “This was a heart attack and it was caught on camera. It’s the scariest thing that ever happened to me.
“I’ve been having strange symptoms for a couple of days. And today while practicing for a new video, those symptoms proved to be a heart attack.”
Bruno added: “I was in pain and I panicked. I thought I was dying. Luckily my roommate came home early and immediately called 911.”
He confirmed: “I am ok now but I have to be careful for the rest of my life because heart disease runs in my family. Stay safe!”
In the footage, Bruno is seen sitting in a bathtub in swimming shorts as he practices for an upcoming YouTube video about realizing he was gay when he was 16.
However, as he rehearses what he is going to say, he exhales deeply before beginning to rub his chest with his hand, obviously experiencing some discomfort.
Bruno continues to try and get his words out but is visibly starting to feel worse and worse, breathing heavily and holding his head in his hands.
At one stage, he attempts to kneel up before terrifyingly collapsing forward in the bath, grimacing and clutching his chest, before shakily standing up and managing to climb out of the tub and sit on the edge, again falling on the floor soon after.
Thankfully, Bruno received urgent medical care which saved his life, as well as made him aware of the risk factors of heart disease in his family.
Viewers were quick to thank him for sharing the footage and raising awareness that heart attacks can happen to people who are young and appear physically fit, not just the elderly or those with poor lifestyle choices.
One wrote: “He’s so young and fit. Terrifying that this could happen at any moment to anyone,” while another added: “This is extremely educational for us all. Thank you for sharing such a vulnerable moment.”
Another commented: “Thank you for posting this scary but informative experience. They always tell you the symptoms to watch out for but It really helps to see it actually happening and what it really looks like.”
Many viewers praised him for sharing the harrowing footage – which has got over four million views – to encourage others not to brush potential heart attack symptoms under the carpet rather than seeking help from doctors.
For more information about heart attack symptoms and what to do in an emergency, click here.