CPR

Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Systems

Heart Attacks vs Strokes

Just as a blockage in the heart causes a heart attack, a blockage in the brain causes a stroke.

  • Heart Attack: A blockage to the heart (HF).

  • Stroke: A blockage to the brain.

Heart Conditions

  • Angina: When the heart's blood flow is blocked, but the blockage clears. It causes pain that comes and goes and can be treated with medication.

  • Heart Attack: Occurs when the heart starts to go into an irregular beat or fibrillation, and the heart muscle starts to die because it lacks oxygen.

  • Cardiac Arrest: Occurs when the heart stops beating completely and is no longer pumping blood to the rest of the body. In the most common kind of cardiac arrest, the heart muscle beats with a squiggly kind of movement called ventricular fibrillation.

Brain Conditions and Strokes

With the brain, it is a little bit different because a blockage affects whatever part of the brain it is located in. When someone suffers a stroke, you will witness different sorts of things depending on which area is affected.

  • Facial Paralysis: One of the first things you can check is to ask the person to smile. If they smile and one side goes up while the other side stays down, or if one side of the face looks like it doesn't move, you can almost guarantee they are having a stroke.

  • Slurred Speech: Asking the person to talk may reveal slurred speech because they have got some paralysis in the face.

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đź“ť Medical Review and Key Concepts

Critical Medical Terms

  • FAST Acronym: A helpful way to remember stroke symptoms.

  • Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): Life-saving technique.

  • Defibrillation: Delivering an electric shock to the heart.

The FAST Acronym for Strokes

Letter

Meaning

F

Face drooping

A

Arm weakness

S

Speech difficulty

T

Time to call emergency services

True or False Statements

  • Oxygen is carried by blood through a network of blood vessels nourishing organs of the body. (True)

  • When one of the heart's arteries gets blocked and stays blocked, the area of affected heart muscle starts to die, which is called a heart attack. (True)

  • An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a device used for defibrillation. (True)

  • A stroke is a blockage to the brain. (True)

The 4 R’s

The 4 R’s provide a framework for understanding heart-related emergencies and knowing how to respond:

  1. Risk — identify factors in your life that may increase your risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke.

  2. Recognize — learn how to identify the signs of a developing emergency.

  3. React — know what actions to take when you see someone experiencing a developing emergency.

  4. Resuscitate — learn how to perform CPR, use an AED, and help someone who is choking.

Risk

Risk refers to the factors that can make a person more likely to develop heart disease or experience a stroke. Understanding personal risk factors can encourage people to make healthier choices and seek medical advice when needed.

Recognize

Recognizing an emergency means identifying when someone may be experiencing a serious heart problem or another life-threatening condition. Early recognition is important because getting help quickly can improve the person’s chance of survival.

React

Reacting means taking immediate action when an emergency is developing. The first link in the chain of survival is to make the call for emergency help. Contacting emergency services quickly ensures that trained medical assistance is on its way.

The responder should then follow the appropriate emergency steps, such as beginning CPR when necessary and using an AED if one is available and the person is in cardiac arrest.

Resuscitate

Resuscitation includes the practical actions used to keep someone alive until professional help arrives. These actions include:

  • Performing CPR.

  • Using an automated external defibrillator, or AED.

  • Helping someone who is choking.

CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It is an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when someone’s heart has stopped beating normally or has stopped beating altogether. CPR helps maintain blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain and other vital organs until further medical treatment is available.

The Heart and Heart Emergencies

The heart is a vital organ that pumps blood around the body. It has four important parts, which work together to receive blood and pump it to the lungs and the rest of the body.

During a heart attack or other serious cardiac emergency, the heart may develop an abnormal rhythm, meaning it may beat in an unusual or disorganized way. This can prevent the heart from pumping blood effectively and may lead to cardiac arrest, when the heart stops pumping normally.


RISK FACTORS

a risk factor is something that increases

risk are higher because of genetics

RISK FACTORS FOR HEART DISEASE AND STROKE

smoking

high blood cholesterol

high blood pressure

diabetes

obesity

lack of exercise

excessive stresses



RISK FACTOR

high blood pressure

can damage heat and blood vessels




A Healthy Diet Includes

eating lots of vegetables and fruits

choosing whole-grain foods

eating protein foods

limiting highly processed foods

making water your drink of choice


RISK FACTORS

diabetes

affects levels of sugar in your blood

eat a healthy diet

practice regular physical active


RISK FACTOR

obesity

heart has to pump hared all the time to move blood around


RECONGNIZE

FIVE P’S


  • pain

  • pale

  • puffing

  • pooped

  • puking

if the person looks sick and you recognize any or all of the 5 p’s call 911.


sings of a stroke

  • if the smile is weird

  • cant put the arms up

  • cant talk properly



Signs of a heart attack

The lecture identified five signs, referred to as the “five Ps”. These signs are included in the manual, so students were told to mark them rather than write out everything in full:

  • Feeling clammy or sweaty.

  • Shortness of breath or difficulty catching one’s breath.

  • Feeling tired or fatigued.

  • Feeling lightheaded.

  • Feeling sick to the stomach or having what feels like a stomach ache.

These symptoms can occur because the heart is not pumping blood properly through the body, including to the muscles. If a person looks unwell and shows any or all of these signs, call 911 immediately.

Heart attacks are a particular concern in older people. They may not always describe their symptoms clearly; they might simply say that they do not feel well, are having difficulty catching their breath, or feel tired.

Physical activity and snowfall

Heart attack calls can increase after the first snowfall. Shovelling snow is a very demanding physical activity, and older people who have been relaxing during the summer may suddenly do too much shovelling when the snow arrives.

After physical activity, an older person might come inside and say that they do not feel well, are having difficulty breathing, or feel tired. It is important not to assume that they only need to lie down and rest.

Keeping someone under observation

If an older person, such as a grandparent, comes inside after being outside and doing physical activity, stay with them until you know that they are okay. If they say they are tired or have an unusual feeling in their chest, sit with them for a while and watch for the other signs of a heart attack.

A dangerous situation is when someone says that they feel sick or have chest pain, but decides to go to their room and take a nap. If they are alone in a room, nobody may notice if their condition becomes worse. Having them rest on a couch where they can be observed is safer than leaving them alone.

If the signs of a heart attack appear, call 911 and do not second-guess the decision.

Recognising a stroke

Possible signs of a stroke include:

  • A sudden headache.

  • Slurred or jumbled speech.

  • Vision problems.

  • Sudden weakness in the face, arm, or leg.

The lecture emphasised the acronym FAST, which is expected to be on the test:

  • Face: Ask the person to smile or look at their face. One side may appear flat or not seem right.

  • Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. If one arm falls while the other stays up, this may be a sign of a stroke.

  • Speech: Listen for slurred or jumbled speech.

  • Time: Act immediately and call 911.

If any of these signs appear, call 911. The faster someone receives help, the more likely it is that they can be protected.

Key points to remember

  • The “five Ps” are signs of a possible heart attack: clammy or sweaty feelings, shortness of breath, tiredness or fatigue, lightheadedness, and feeling sick to the stomach.

  • If someone looks sick and has any or all of these signs, call 911 immediately.

  • Pay particular attention to older people after demanding physical activity, especially shovelling snow.

  • Do not leave a person alone to take a nap if they may be having a heart attack; stay with them and monitor their condition.

  • Remember FAST for stroke: Face, Arms, Speech, Time.

  • Sudden facial changes, arm weakness, slurred speech, vision problems, or a sudden headache require an immediate call to 911.