A Melbourne emergency doctor has revealed the surprising household item that could save your life if you start to suffer a heart attack at home.

And it’s sitting in most kitchen cupboards.

Dr Katie, who has built a loyal following on social media by sharing life-saving medical tips, has stunned her audience after explaining the power of aspirin tablets in an emergency.

She stated that chewing on a single aspirin at the first sign of a heart attack could be the difference between life and death.

In her video she urged Australians to recognise the often-subtle signs of a heart attack – and to act fast.

‘This tiny pill, and calling an ambulance, could be the difference between life and death,’ she said.

She explained that while Hollywood movies often portray heart attacks as dramatic, chest-clutching moments, the reality can be far more understated.

‘Let’s imagine you are just chilling at home, and you get a bit of pressure in your chest,’ she continued.

‘Maybe it’s radiating down your left arm, maybe it’s radiating down your right arm, up into your jaw.

‘You don’t feel quite right – a little bit short of breath, a little bit nauseous, you’re sweating but it’s not hot. It doesn’t feel dramatic, but something is not quite right. This could be a heart attack.’

Dr Katie warned that the symptoms can be especially subtle in women, often presenting as dizziness, fatigue or even back pain rather than the classic chest-crushing feeling.

‘If you think you or someone you know is having a heart attack, I want you to call emergency services right away and take this tablet (if you’re not allergic),’ she continued, holding up one single aspirin pill.

She went on to detail that chewing it was better than swallowing whole for it to get into your bloodstream quicker.

‘Aspirin is an anti-platelet. It can slow down clot formation, buy you time and literally save your heart.’

The emergency doctor said she had personally witnessed the household pain medication make the difference between survival and tragedy.

‘I’ve seen people survive because they knew what to do and now you know too,’ she told viewers.

Her life-saving advice has sparked a flurry of responses online, with many shocked at how such a simple pill could be so powerful.

One follower admitted that they’d be ‘adding aspirin to the grocery list’ immediately.

While another shared that they keep a bottle of aspirin in their car and handbag for this exact reason.

Several even credited aspirin with saving loved ones’ lives.

‘My friend probably saved her husband’s life recently by giving him an aspirin.

‘He had one heart attack at home and another an hour later in hospital. He’s doing OK,’ the woman revealed.

‘That was me four years ago, the doctors in the Cath lab saved my life in ER. I now take aspirin daily,’ a fellow survivor wrote.

Few of her followers knew this simple step using something as inexpensive and accessible as aspirin could provide critical extra minutes until paramedics arrive.

Dr Katie’s video acts as a vital public health reminder, particularly in Australia where heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death.

However, although aspirin can help in an emergency, it is no substitute for professional medical treatment – something Dr Katie emphasised in the clip.

The very first step should always be to dial triple zero.

Still, the viral tip is prompting many Aussies to rethink what they keep in their medicine cabinets, cars and even handbags – just in case.