1 Introduction
This article describes how to give first aid to heart attack and cardiac arrest.
- Heart attack is the damage caused to the heart.
- Cardiac Arrest is when the heart stops suddenly functioning.
A friend is what the heart needs all the time.
2 Heart attack
A heart attack, also called a myocardial infarction, refers to damage to the heart caused when the blood supply to part of the heart muscle is blocked.
2.1 Heart attack symptoms
The symptoms of a heart attack may be quite mild and many people take too long to realise they need help.
The most common symptoms are:
- A feeling of pressure or tightness, crushing pain or unusual discomfort in the centre of the chest, or a feeling like indigestion.
- Pain or tightness may spread to the shoulders, neck or arms, or it may affect the jaws or throat, making the person feel like they’re choking.
- Some people don’t get chest discomfort, but only get symptoms in their arms or throat.
- Other symptoms include: nausea (feeling sick); sweating; breathlessness.
Many people having a heart attack won’t admit they are in trouble, or they think it’s not serious. It’s important to act immediately if you/someone experience possible heart attack symptoms.
2.2 What should you do
Applicable for you or to someone with heart attack.
- Stop what you are doing and rest quietly, either sitting or lying down.
- Call an ambulance by dialing 108. Or better call ambulance of a nearby hospital ambulance. (Keep the contacts stored in your mobile)
- If directed, take an aspirin immediately (unless you are allergic to it).
- If breathless, sit up.
- If you feel faint, lie flat.
If you feel heart attack warning symptoms yourself, or see the first signs of someone else suffering from them, don’t wait. Medical help is most important in the first few hours. Prompt medical attention can help reduce the amount of heart muscle damage and can help improve the person’s chances of survival.
3 Cardiac Arrest
A cardiac arrest is when your heart suddenly stops functioning, resulting in loss of effective circulation of blood around the body.
3.1 Cardiac Arrest Symptoms
- The person is unresponsive.
- Their heart has stopped beating.
- Their skin turns pale or blue.
3.2 What should you do
A cardiac arrest is a medical emergency. A person who has had a cardiac arrest won’t survive unless the blood starts pumping and the body gets a supply of oxygen very quickly. Dissemble the crowd around the patient.
- Call an ambulance: dial 108 Or better call ambulance of a nearby hospital ambulance. (Keep the contacts stored in your mobile)
- Tell the emergency services that someone has had a cardiac arrest and tell the address/landmark.
- Start CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). CPR involves mouth-to-mouth breathing and external heart massage through the chest (chest compressions).
- Act fast: get someone to call for skilled help if you are not trained on CPR.
It is always good to get trained on CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). There are CPR trainings organized by many NGO’s. Please get trained and ask your friends and fmily members to get trained. You may be the god for someone to saving their life]
- Click here for Alert-We Care CPR Trainings Schedule
- Mail at hello@whitefieldrising.org for CPR training workshop in your communities