Be prepared - Heart Attack

I recently updated my First Aid training and it always makes me think about all of things that could happen at work. It is also scary how unprepared many people are to deal with some very common life threatening situations.

One very common incident is a:

Heart Attack

Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United states and the leading cause of death worldwide. For this reason we should all make ourselves familiar with signs that someone is suffering from angina or a heart attack.
Be sure that you know the Symptoms:

• Pressure, tightness and/or pain in your chest or arms. People often describe it as someone sitting on their chest.
• Struggle to breath, shortened breaths.
• Nausea, indigestion, heartburn or abdominal pain. This is one that often causes people to misdiagnose the real problem.
• Fatigue, Lightheadedness or dizziness
  UPDATE:
  here are some more syptoms as shared by @warudo:
  Pain circumstances: can occur during rest
  Pain types: can be like a clenched fist in the chest
  Whole body: dizziness, fatigue, light-headedness, clammy skin, cold sweat, or sweating
  Gastrointestinal: heartburn, indigestion, nausea, or vomiting
  Neck: discomfort or tightness
  Arm: discomfort or tightness
  Chest: discomfort or tightness
  Also common: anxiety, feeling of impending doom, palpitations, shortness of breath, or shoulder discomfort

The most difficult issue is that not all heart attack victims will have the same symptoms.
This is why it is important to take action even if you are not sure. Some people wait too long because they trust the opinion of the patient. People often are in denial and may even feel embarrassed and wonder off into a bathroom or office to be alone.

Take these steps:

Call for emergency medical help. If you suspect you or someone else is having a heart attack, don't hesitate. Immediately call 911. Keep them on the line as they will help walk you through any actions to take if required.

Always wait for emergency services to arrive. Never attempt to drive yourself or someone else to the hospital in your own vehicle. If their condition worsens you can not help them from behind the wheel.

If the patient has a heart condition they may have nitroglycerin. You may retrieve this and provide it while awaiting emergency help. Ensure you keep track of the time that medication was given.

Take ASA or aspirin. This will help thin the blood. Before providing ASA ensure that the patient is not taking any other forms of medication. UPDATE:The recommendation is to chew two 81mg ASA or just one 325mg. Always chew them as they will be absorbed faster.

If you encounter someone who is unresponsive and not breathing, you will need to perform chest compressions ( CPR ) to keep blood flowing. Push hard and fast on the person's sternum at a pace of about 100 to 120 compressions a minute. Use the beat of the Beegees song "staying alive" to help you decide the pace. These compressions will help keep the blood circulating to the vital organs. UPDATE: The compressions should push the chest in approximately 5-6 cm or about 2-3" for you Americans.

If one is available and you are trained, use an AED device. This device may deliver a shock to the patient to help keep his heart beat regular.



Hopefully you will never be put in the situation where you or someone you know is suffering from a heart attack. If for some unfortunate reason you are, maybe some of this information helps you be a little more prepared.

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Darryl (@dadview) is a loving husband and father who enjoys spending time with his family no matter the activity.
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