Everyone knows the terms Cardiac Arrest and Heart Attack but how many really know what these terms mean. What is really happening when someone has a HEART ATTACK and what can be done to save their life?
When someone has a heart attack and goes into cardiac arrest what has happened is that the electrical signals between the heart and brain have become disrupted and the heart begins to beat in an irregular manner. This chaotic rhythm makes the heart work against itself and it, for all practical purposes, begins to cramp. Think of having a Charlie Horse in your chest rather than your leg.
The immediate result is that the blood supply, and its life giving oxygen, stops flowing to your brain and other vital organs. Death can result in a very short time and brain damage can result in as little as a few minutes.
What to do in the event of a Heart Attack
Your first response to someone going into Cardiac Arrest should, of course, be to call 911 and get professional assistance on the way.
Once this is done CPR should be performed by trained personal. CPR will help keep life giving oxygen traveling through the system and minimize damage but will not actually do much else. The odds of someone being revived by CPR are actually so slim as to be considered negligible.
If an AED is available it should in the shortest possible time be put into use. An AED will analyze the person’s heart beat and most are preprogrammed to walk you through the appropriate actions.
Save a Life
If a person’s heart has stopped or has lost its rhythm, defibrillation either by medical personal or with an AED is their only real hope. AEDs are now very reasonable priced and are near idiot proof to operate. Why would you not invest in one for your place of business? It may sound trite, but it is true the life you save could be your own.
