The American Heart Association (AHA) is the leading provider in training and research into preventing and treating heart disease. Cardiac Arrest is a leading cause of death in America, yet is treatable and reversable when caught immediately and when the proper treatment is executed. (1)
First things first, can you tell the difference between cardiac arrest and a heart attack?
Cardiac arrest is a disturbance in the firing of electrical nodes within the heart which catalyze the heartbeat. This results in arrhythmia or an irregular heartbeat. Within seconds of the heart ceasing to function, a person will become unresponsive and barely able to breathe.
Death will occur within minutes if treatment is not administered immediately.
CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, forces oxygen into the lungs that is then circulated by simulating a “pumping” action on the chest. This process must continue until the patient is able to breathe on his or her own, or until first responders arrive on the scene. If an AED, or Automated External Defibrillator, is available, this is a life-saving tool that provides direct electrical shock to the heart.
The AHA recommends early defibrillation within the first three minutes of a cardiac arrest.
A heart attack, on the other hand, may begin with a feeling of weakness, nausea or numbness from decreased circulation due to a blocked artery. Although the patient may collapse from pain or weakness, or appear unresponsive, it is not appropriate to begin CPR as the heart is still beating (although faintly) and the person may still be able to breathe on his or her own.
CPR training is indispensable for your family and your workplace. These lifesaving techniques can only be applied if you are there – ready and willing – to identify the problem and to take action. Contact us to design a training session for you and your family that will give you the tools and the confidence you will need at a moments notice.
(1) http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/General/Cardiac-Arrest-versus-Heart-Attack-Infographic_UCM_450698_SubHomePage.jsp