YOU MADE IT TO PAGE 8!! KEWL!
HEART ATTACK, CARDIAC ARREST AND STROKE! WHAT TO DO UNTIL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ARRIVE...
HEART ATTACK!
Alright, we have learned the signals of a heart attack. As a family member or bystander we already know to call 911, or your local emergency number. Now EMS is on the way. You must convince the patient to stop all physical activity and rest. Remember that denial of having a heart attack is a primary symptom, but do the best you can. Allow them to rest in a position that is most comfortable for them. A patient with significant chest discomfort will have shortness of breath. In an attempt to catch their breath, the victim will usually sit down and lean slightly forward in an attempt to breathe easier. Very good, your doing great so far!! Talk to them. If you don't know their medical history, ask if they have ever felt this way before. If they have, they probably have a prescription of Nitroglycerin. If the victim has not taken one under the tongue find it and assist them with it if necessary. Comfort the patient. Assure them that help is on the way. If you do not feel comfortable touching someone, do it anyway!! Hold their hand, keep your hand on their shoulder...let the victim know you are there and that you care. Simple touch has tremendous healing power! Always watch the patient and monitor their condition. Be prepared to do CPR. OK!...The ambulance is here!! Well done!
CARDIAC ARREST!!
Cardiac arrest, so, what is it? This follows a heart attack...the hearts struggle for oxygen has caused a heart to really squirm. During a heart attack, the heart is still beating and the victim's heart is still able to push blood, although not adequately. Yet the heart attack victim will still have a pulse. The heart is made to function via nerves and elecricity. During cardiac arrest the heart is an electricians worst nightmare, so to speak. The heart may have plenty of electricity, but it has no ground...like a downed power line, it is squirming all over the place! The heart at full arrest is quivering; not circulating blood at all. This is where you, the first aider, will now have to roll up your shirt sleeves and go to work. But how do you know when a person is in cardiac arrest? They will have no detectable pulse. In an adult you check for a pulse in the corotid artery in the neck. You find it by placing your index and middle finger on the adams apple and moving them toward you into the groove next to the windpipe. Try it on yourself and you will see what I mean. If you can't find one on yourself, you may consider calling 911. A person is in cardiac arrest when they have no detectable pulse!! By this time they are no longer conscious and are not breathing. They will be biologically dead within 10 minutes. We as first aiders will become the victims breathing and heartbeat to circulate blood for them...proper CPR will keep a person alive longer than ten minutes by this method. Plenty of time until EMS arrives...
Before we begin chest compressions, we must establish that the patient is breathless and pulseless. We do this by positioning the victim on their back, tilting their head back and lifting the chin to open the airway. Next, we place our cheek close to the patients mouth. We look, listen and feel for breathing. We look to see if the victims chest is raising and falling. We listen for the sound of breathing from the victim. We feel for breathing, against our own cheek. You will take up to 5 seconds to establish breathlessness. If you determine that the patient is not breathing, you will have to do the head tilt chin lift manuever, pinch the victims nose. seal your mouth around theirs and give two breaths. Only blow hard enough to get the victims chest to raise and fall. Following these two breaths, then check for a corotid pulse in the neck. Take up to 10 seconds to determine pulselessness. No pulse? Position your shoulders over the patients chest, straighten your arms and lock your elbows. With the heel of one hand just below the patients nipple line. Place your other hand on top of you hand that is on the breastbone. Compress the chest 2 inches. Allow the chest to return to normal expansion, but keep the heel of your hand on the sternum. This way you will not lose proper hand position. Do 15 chest compressions counting aloud one-thousand one, one-thousand-two, one-thousand-three, up to 15 compressions. Give two breaths, using the head tilt chin lift method. Find your hand position and compress the sternum 15 times...give two breaths...always count aloud. IF the chest is compressed to fast or too slow, it will not be effective CPR. If you work for me on my ambulance and do CPR without counting aloud, I'll throw you out the back door of that moving unit and do CPR myself. That is how important counting is. Remember, 2 breaths, 15 compressions. After your first minute of CPR, stop and recheck for breathing, then for a pulse. If no breathing or pulse begin CPR. Then stop and check for a pulse and breathing every few minutes, after the initial minute of CPR. If the patient should vomit during CPR, roll them onto their side, sweep out the mouth, and continue. You will know if the patient has a spontaneous return of pulse and breathing. They will start moving. Good work...you have done very well. But, I do want to remind you that this is no substitute for an actual adult CPR class. I strongly urge each of you to contact your local Chapter of the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, or your local ambulance service or fire department and enrole in an adult CPR class. They have great looking, extremely competant instructors. If they don't, e-mail me...LOL.
VISIT: AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
CARING FOR THE STROKE VICTIM
OK!! You have learned what a stroke is, and its signs and symptoms. You have already called 911, or your local emergency number. Now it is time to give aid to the stroke (CVA), patient until EMS personnel arrive. This victim may or may not be conscious. For the conscious patient, you want to be sure that their airway is open, and that they are breathing and have a pulse. Try to position the victim lying down, with the torso elevated about 45 degrees. Do not give them anything to eat or drink. Keep the victim warm. Be in a position that enables you to maintain eye contact. This patient may or may not be able to speak. They will be frieghtened. Be compassionate. Speak slowly and clearly to the patient. Let them know that help is on the way. Keep a calm voice and do not speak loudly. They can hear you. Maintain touch if you can, and monitor the victim constantly, looking for changes in their condition. For the unconscious patient, check for breathing and a pulse. If they are not breathing and are pulseless, preform CPR. If they do have a pulse and are breathing, turn the patient onto their side, with their mouth (airway), tilted slightly downward, to insure that the airway will remain clear of fluids and other possible airway obtructions. Speak to the patient as you would a conscious one. They can hear you. Keep the victim from becoming chilled. Always monitor breathing and pulse.Be prepared to preform CPR. Oh, look! An EMT is at the door!...Good job...you've done very well...