Managing Cardiac Arrest Health Issues

Cardiac arrest or circulatory arrest occurs when there is disruption in effective blood flow when the heart fails to pump oxygenated blood or stops pumping it at all. If cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is performed immediately, then cardiac arrest situation can become potentially reversible. If CPR cannot be provided to the victim within 5-6 minutes, then with every passing minute the survival chances of the heart attack victim reduces by 10% approximately. When the blood circulation is interrupted, it prevents the supply of oxygen and glucose in the body. Deficiency of oxygen and glucose in the body can result in sudden loss of consciousness and abnormal breathing or absence of breathing. In cases of sudden cardiac arrest, it is unfortunate that only 15% to 30% of the people who know CPR can actually be found for help.

A survey in few cities in USA including Nashville has found out that stress is a major cause of heart attack incidents and sudden cardiac arrests. So, to stay healthy, it is important to learn stress management. Workout on regular basis will keep you healthy and also keep you motivated and reduce your worries and stress. You can choose a workout partner to keep you engaged and not get bored. You can take a family member, friend, or your neighbor for your workout classes. Apart from taking care of mind and body for a healthy life, you should also learn CPR to counter in case of emergency situation of sudden cardiac arrest. In any such incidence, the first thing to do would be to call for medical help or emergency number 911.

If you are trained in CPR, you should assist the patient till professional help arrives. Even if you do not have training in CPR, you should start chest compression on the patient to keep his heart beating.American Heart Association (AHA) is spreading awareness program and training oncardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR) methods. You can undergo first aid training on CPR from AHA-certified medical centers. The use of automatic defibrillator (AED) device is also significant in sudden cardiac arrest situation. AED helps to restore the natural rhythm of the heart and revive the patient from critical condition. CPR is effective in situations where the patient is nonresponsive and not breathing properly or stopped breathing.

Like CPR, AED also requires proper care. Before you start the ‘On’ button you have to properly put the left pad under the left armpit, on the left side of the nipple. The right pad has to be put below the collarbone on the right side of the chest. In case you find any device implanted, then the pads should be placed at least one inch away from there. In the course of treatment, it is advisable to remove all the clothing from the chest, arms, and abdomen, irrespective of the gender. 

It is certain that the training courses on CPR and the certification course programs like ACLS, BLS, or PALS has improved the chances of survival of sudden cardiac arrest victims in Nashville. A death due to cardiovascular problems is more than deaths due to other medical conditions in USA. A well-trained person in ACLS (Advance Cardiac Life Support) or CPR provider, in cases of cardiac crisis is very less, only found in less than 30% cases. With increase of awareness through training centers certified by AHA, it is possible to reduce the chances of death by cardiac failure to some extent.