Category: First Aid

Heart Attack

Heart Attacks: How to Save a Life

Shane Woodall

According to the American Heart Association, each year about 635,000 people experience a new heart attack in the United States. An astounding 1 out of 7 deaths in the U.S. is caused by coronary heart disease (AHA). Learning how to recognize and treat a heart attack can save the life of a friend or loved one.

What is a heart attack?

The heart needs a continuous supply of blood and oxygen to survive. During a heart attack, a partial or complete blockage occurs in one or more of the heart’s pipes, or “arteries.” This blockage causes a section of the heart to become damaged from a lack of nutrients.

This can produce pain and other symptoms. If the blockage is not fixed, permanent damage and death can result. Although a heart attack victim is usually awake at first, severe heart attacks can cause someone to lose consciousness and stop breathing – a condition called cardiac arrest which requires CPR.

What are the signs of a heart attack?

Chest discomfort, which can include: pain, pressure, squeezing, tightness, fullness, burning etc.

Pain or other sensations in other areas of the body including:

One or both arms

Neck

Jaw

Back (between the shoulder blades)

Abdomen

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

Nausea / vomiting

Dizziness / weakness / fainting

Pale, cool, moist skin

Rapid heartbeat

Slow heartbeat

Certain types of patients – including women, diabetics and the elderly – often experience symptoms other than chest pain during a heart attack.

How can I treat a heart attack?

If you think someone might be having a heart attack, do the following:

Call or send someone to call 9-1-1

If an AED is available at your workplace, send someone to get it.

Keep the patient as calm as possible.

If the patient is above 18 years of age and has no allergies to it, administer two (2) chewable 81mg tablets of low dose aspirin or one (1) chewable tablet of regular adult dose aspirin. Aspirin has been shown to save lives during heart attacks by reducing clotting in the bloodstream.

Monitor the patient’s consciousness and breathing.

If the patient becomes unconscious, immediately move them to the ground and check to see if CPR is needed:

If the patient is unresponsive and not breathing (or only gasping) -> Immediately Begin CPR

If the patient is breathing, roll them onto their side to protect the airway and remain vigilant to see if breathing stops until the ambulance takes over.

You can learn more about how to help a person experiencing a Heart Attack by taking a First Aid CPR AED course.

Why You Should Make Your Own First Aid Kit

Shane Woodall

Accidents happen. People get sick. It’s a part of life.

Although we can take steps to reduce injury and illness, the fact remains that an emergency will happen from time-to-time and being prepared for it can help produce the best possible outcome for a victim.

Having a well-stocked First Aid kit is an important part of protecting yourself and your family.

Many workplaces and homes have these kits. They typically buy them pre-stocked with a wide variety of items that “someone else” has decided is valuable in an emergency.  A quick search on Amazon for “first aid kit” yielded 58,709 results!

There are 2 problems with this approach:

  • You’re trusting some faceless company to properly stock your First Aid Kit without considering your individual needs or level of training. These companies are often focused more on their bottom line than ensuring you have what you need. For example, many pre-made kits come with random ointments, but don’t include tourniquets – considered by trauma physicians to be an essential lifesaving tool to stop bleeding.
  • If you allow someone else to assemble your kit, you won’t know what you have available or where things are kept.

A much better approach is to buy a first aid kit completely empty and buy items to fill it up based on your level of training and comfort. Take a First Aid course. During your class, make note of those items you would need to treat the different injuries and illnesses you learn about. Ask your instructor for recommendations.  And above all… make sure you and everyone else at work/home knows where the First Aid kit is – and what’s inside it.

Tips for Home Preparedness

All relevant information should be posted by the telephone, including:

The emergency response number (for example, do you need to dial an outside extension to reach 911?)

Your address

Poison control number 1-800-222-1222

Written directions to the nearest Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

Ensure your house or apartment number is large, well-lit and clearly visible.

First Aid Kit Suggestions:

  • Pocket Mask for CPR (collapsable w/ one way valve): To give breaths during CPR
  • Large nitrile (non-latex) gloves (2 pair): To protect rescuers from bodily fluids
  • Shears (1): To remove clothing or cut bandages
  • Bandaids (1 box of regular; 1 box of X-large): For minor scrapes
  • 4×4 gauze pads (5-10): Used to stop minor bleeding
  • 5X9 gauze pads (1-2): Used to stop major bleeding
  • Combat Application Tourniquet – C.A.T. (1): To stop life-threatening bleeding in an arm or leg
  • 3″ roller gauze (1): To wrap and secure gauze pads in place
  • 2″ roller gauze (1): To wrap and secure gauze pads in place
  • 1″ tape (1):  To secure roller gauze in place
  • Anti-septic cream (1 box of individual packets): For use on minor scrapes to prevent infection
  • Cotton-tip applicators (1 small bag): To apply anti-septic cream
  • Waterjel Burn Pads (1-2):  For pain relief of minor burns after 10 minutes of cold water rinsing
  • Sterile water 250ml (1 bottle): To clean minor wounds, or wash an amputated part
  • Tweezers (1): To remove ticks and splinters
  • Small packaged alcohol wipes: To clean tweezers or dirty skin
  • Gallon-size ziplock bags (1-2):  To hold ice used for cold compress, or to protect an amputated part
  • Instant Cold Pack (1-2): To relieve pain and swelling
  • Insta-Glucose (1): Oral sugar to give to diabetics experiencing low blood sugar
  • Baby Aspirin (81mg tablets): To assist heart attack victims
  • Benadryl: To treat allergic reactions

The outline above is not a substitute for formal  instruction. Please contact our team for more information on taking a First Aid CPR AED certification class.