Lifesaver Education Blog

Smoking and Heart Disease

Smoking not only damages the lungs, it damages the heart as well. People who smoke are more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke. In the United States, one fifth of deaths due to heart disease are a result of tobacco use and smoking. Those who inhale secondhand smoke are also at a greater risk for heart disease than people who do not have any contact with cigarette smoke.

The amount of cigarettes a person smokes each day and the length of time he smokes adds to his risk for heart disease. For women, using birth control and smoking place them at considerably greater risk for strokes and heart attacks. Smoking one pack of cigarettes a day doubles the risk for heart disease.

Nicotine, the addictive drug found in cigarettes and cigarette smoke, is primarily responsible for raising a person's risk of heart disease. The drug causes damage to the lining of the arteries and veins, which increases a person's risk for blockage. Nicotine also causes more blood clots, which also causes blockages and strokes. It also speeds up the heart rate and raises blood pressure. High blood pressure puts more pressure on the arteries and other blood vessels, which can lead to a heart attack later on. Smoking also increases the risk for heart disease by preventing an adequate amount of oxygen from reaching the heart.

People can considerably lower their risk for heart disease by quitting smoking. A year after quitting, a person's risk for heart problems is considerably lower than if he had continued to smoke. After 15 years, the risk is similar to a person who had never smoked. Quitting smoking not only improves a person's heart health. People who quit feel better generally and also have a lower risk of lung diseases, gum disease, and throat cancers. If someone near you had a heart attack, would you know what to do? Sign up for a CPR class at Lifesaver Education or find an online BLS course.

Infant Death Risk-Reduction Guidelines Revised by AAP

While deaths from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) have decreased by nearly 50 percent since the Back to Sleep campaign began in the early 1990's, deaths from other sleep-related causes, including asphyxiation and suffocation, have risen. As a result, new guidelines for safe sleep have been released by the American Academy of Pediatrics, released in the November, 2011 issue of Pediatrics.

The new guidelines provide parents, caregivers and hospital staff with tips aimed at reducing all sleep-related infant deaths, including SIDS. The new guidelines include three important prevention strategies for SIDS: breastfeeding, immunizations and avoiding the use of bumpers in infants' cribs. A 2007 meta-analysis found that a history of breastfeeding was associated with a 37 percent reduction of incidents of SIDS. Other studies have shown similar findings. It is now recommended that all babies be breastfed, preferably exclusively, for the first six months of life to reduce the risk of SIDS. Immunizations have also been found to be a factor in SIDS; studies show that vaccinations can reduce the risk of SIDS by 50 percent. Evidence against the use of bumpers shows that they do not necessarily decrease the risk of injury, but rather increase the risk of suffocation, entrapment, and strangulation.

In addition to these new guidelines, recommendations to decrease the risk of sleep-related deaths include the following:

• Never place your baby on his tummy to sleep, rather than on his back or side, until he begins to roll over on his own. Make sure your baby's caregivers always put your baby on her back as well, even if she's upset.

• Always put your baby to sleep on a horizontal, firm surface. Avoid allowing your baby to sleep routinely in his car seat or other device that holds the baby upright.

• Don't sleep in the same bed as your baby. The risk for suffocation and entrapment in bedding is much higher. There is also a danger of rolling over on the baby or accidentally suffocating her during sleep.

• Avoid using any kind of wedge or positioning device in the crib. The best rule of thumb is to have absolutely nothing in the crib except the baby.

• There is an association between smoking and SIDS. Avoid smoking during and after pregnancy, and keep the home entirely smoke-free.

• A pacifier during naps and nighttime sleep is recommended.

• Don't cover your infant's head during sleep, and don't allow him to become overheated. To keep your baby warm, swaddle her or, for older infants, put her in a sleep sack.

The new recommendations are aimed at entirely eliminating sleep-related infant deaths. By following the new guidelines and eliminating all items from the crib, including bumpers, the deaths associated with strangulation, asphyxiation, entrapment and suffocation will be drastically reduced. To learn more about AAP guidelines for infants as well as other lifesaving measures, visit your local Los Angeles BLS class at Lifesaver Education or find an online CPR class.

How Changing Children's Lifestyles Can Help Keep Their Heart Healthier

With the increasing levels of childhood obesity, more and more children are becoming at risk for heart disease. Some children have blood pressure or cholesterol levels high enough that they may need to take medication to lower them. However, children can make changes to their lifestyles to keep their heart healthy and help lower their risk for heart disease later in life.

A recent study found that children, regardless of their initial risk level for heart disease, can lower their cholesterol levels, their blood pressure levels and their heart disease risk by making healthy lifestyle changes and continuing with these changes as they got older. These include not smoking, eating healthier, losing weight if overweight and becoming more physically active. Improvements in socioeconomic status also decreased heart disease risk.

On the other hand, if children start smoking or continue smoking, are sedentary, gain weight, increase their body fat levels and follow unhealthy diets, their blood pressure, cholesterol levels and heart disease risk are all likely to increase by the time they reach adulthood. Children who were at high risk for heart disease at the beginning of the study who didn't make any healthy changes continued to be at high risk for heart disease twenty years later.

Parents, medical professionals and educators need to make this link clear to children, and act as good examples showing children how to live a healthy lifestyle. Families should work together to make healthy changes so all family members improve their health. For example, parents can teach children how to cook healthy meals and what makes a healthy snack, and the whole family can take after dinner walks or play active games together to increase their physical activity levels. Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and making healthy lifestyle choices is one of the best ways to prevent this medical condition. To find out more about how to prevent heart disease, reigster for a Los Angeles CPR class with Lifesaver Education or sign up for an online BLS course.

Heart Myths That Leave You At Risk

Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and it is an equal opportunity killer as it effects most ethnicities in nearly the same percentages. According to the CDC, “About 47% of sudden cardiac deaths occur outside a hospital. This suggests that many people with heart disease don't act on early warning signs.”

Not only do people not act on early warning signs, often times they are actually confused as to what they are. There are the ubiquitous signs and symptoms most people believe they would recognize if having a heart attack, such as: dizziness, sweating, left arm pain and intense chest pain, perhaps feelings of indigestion etc. But the fact is, these symptoms do not always appear. There are occasions in which the symptoms of a myocardial infarct (heart attack) mimic other illnesses. This alone illustrates that there are indeed myths about heart health that may put you in danger.

A common myth that people believe is that they will actually know when they are becoming symptomatic of heart disease, high cholesterol or high blood pressure. This is not precisely true; the only way these things can be certainly and thoroughly measured is through tests ordered by a physician. Another common illustration of a heart myth is that heart disease and heart attacks affect both women and men in the same manner. The truth is, that though heart disease affects ethnicities nearly the same, it does not affect genders the same. Women tend to have subtly different symptomatic presentations. Aside from this, it is often believed that younger women are not affected by heart disease, or are even at risk for a heart attack, but this too is not always the accurate.

Another common belief is that things like Omega 3 fatty acids and Aspirin are adequate preventives, and while they certainly help, it is not true in every case. Things such as genetics and diet factor into the equation. As a matter of fact, lifestyle choices in general play into heart disease and the consequences of it. However, if one is careful with their lifestyle choices, and is aware that there are heart myths out there; it is completely possible a little vigilance can certainly reduce your risk for heart disease. To learn more about how to keep your heart healthy, or about avoiding heart myths, visit your local Los Angeles CPR class through Lifesaver Education or find an online BLS class.

AED Machines Require Maintenance To Prevent Failure

One of the leading causes of death in both North America and Europe is sudden cardiac arrest. Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating. Or, more technically correctly, when the heart malfunctions and begins to beat in an arrhythmic way. Most often these rhythms are Ventricular Tachycardia or Ventricular Fibrillation. These are life threatening dysrhythmias that must be treated immediately so as not to result in death. VT (Ventricular Tachycardia) and VF (Ventricular Fibrillation) are what can be classified as “agonal rhythms”--heart rhythms indicative of a malfunctioning or dying heart. The most common and certain lifesaving treatments for these rhythms are shocks to the heart that will reset, or “reboot,” the heart back into a normal sinus rhythm. This can be accomplished in the ER, or with an AED (Automated External Defibrillator), which are becoming increasingly commonly found in public areas such as airports, stadiums, or even your local store.

A myth concerning delivering shocks to the heart, either by AED or “manually” in the ER, is that you can shock a heart that has stopped beating completely (an asystolic heart) “back to life.” This is not the case, a defibrillator can only be employed when the heart produces what is called a “shockable rhythm,” such as VT or VF. As soon as a heart begins to beat in this specific arrhythmic way, medical intervention is immediately required. For each minute of delay between the onset of the rhythm and the treatment thereof, chances for survival decrease by approximately seven to ten percent.

An AED will only deliver a shock if it detects a shockable rhythm, and this is yet another reason why AEDs are crucial devices to have in public places. However, an AED can only save a life it is in proper working order. It has been found that in the last 15 years there have been approximately 1,000 deaths secondary to a malfunctioning AED. Battery failure was the cause for nearly ¼ of these deaths, while approximately the same percentage of deaths was caused by problems with and AEDs pads or connectors. Just as important as actually having and using an AED in public is the fact that the machine needs to be well maintained and in good working order. Maintenance is key in the case of an AED, and with proper upkeep, it is indeed a lifesaver. To learn more about AED machines, visit Lifesaver Education to find the closest Los Angeles BLS class or find an online BLS course which covers information regarding AED machines.

Most Americans Do Not Meet Heart Health Goals

According to the CDC, heart disease is the main cause of death for women and men both, with the most common type being coronary heart disease. Approximately 780,000 Americans every year will experience their first heart attack. These statistics are reminders that health goals are clearly not being met by the average American.

There are, in fact, seven healthy heart goals that when properly followed can help you reduce your risk of heart disease--as well as other illnesses secondary to poor diet and lifestyle practices. The American Heart Association created these goals, called “Life’s Simple Seven,” and adhering to as little as four of them can help to reduce the risk of suffering a catastrophic health crisis or dying by about half. Unfortunately, according to a study of almost 18,000 people, only 3 out of 10 persons met four or more of goals, and furthermore; only 2 people met seven of the goals for optimal heart health.

New York University's Cardiac and Vascular Institute Nieca Goldberg, MD, in her role of AHA spokeswoman says, “These numbers are scary and disturbing.” Though shocking, trying to achieve Life’s Simple 7 is well within any person’s power. The intentions of the AHA’s seven steps are to help minimize cardiovascular disease deaths by 20%, while also helping to improve the health of the cardiovascular system of the population by 20% as well; they are paraphrased below as follows:

1. Having a BMI (also known as a body mass index) between18.5 to 24.5.

2. Moderately exercising for at least 150 minutes or vigorously exercising for 75 minutes each week.

3. Quitting smoking at least one year ago or never smoking.

4. Having cholesterol levels be below 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) total.

5. Having blood pressure that remains below 120/80.

6. Maintaining a blood sugar level when fasting below than 100 mg/dL.

7. Maintaining at least four of the five AHA's healthy diet key components.

These seven steps are sound advice for everyone, and by not following them there is always the chance of sustaining irreversible heart damage, or worse, death. Heart disease is insidious in that it often cannot be detected until it has reached an acute state, and at that point medical intervention, or perhaps even CPR, will be required. A strong, healthy, well-functioning heart is crucial not only to maintaining your life, but to enjoying it. To find out more about life saving measures that can be taught via CPR classes, visit Lifesaver Education or find an online BLS class.

New PALS Material Received

This week we finally received the new PALS course materials reflecting the changes announced in October of 2010. The new textbook is no longer a Course Guide and Textbook, but is sold only as the Textbook. The pre-test can only be obtained by going to a designated American Heart Association student website and entering a code obtained from purchasing the new textbook. The new post-test examination has been increased from 25 to 33 questions, but is still significantly shorter than the 50 question ACLS post-test.

Heart Attack Treatment Times Improving Thanks to National Initiative

One of the most common types of heart attack is the ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction. (STEMI) It generally occurs when atherosclerotic plaque in the arteries ruptures and blocks the flow of blood to the heart depriving it of oxygen. When this happens, cardiac cells die with the potential result being the death of the person exhibiting symptoms, or a chronic heart condition that may require pacing or medication for the duration of the person’s life. However, if medical treatment is quickly administered, in the form of thrombolytics or angioplasty, the patients’ chances of survival and the resumption of a well-functioning heart increase dramatically.

“Time is muscle” is a saying familiar to most medical professionals; it is said in reference to those crucial minutes between the onset of cardiac symptoms and the lifesaving treatment thereof. Though those critical minutes are also referred to as the “golden hour,” rarely did a patient receive the necessary interventions in an hour or less. However, in the past five years, according to a study published in “Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association,” patients are now being treated 32 minutes faster on average. They are currently being treated in about 64 minutes, which is a significant decrease from the previous time of 96 minutes. Another improvement mentioned in the study is the fact out of all of the heart attack patients that required emergency angioplasty in 2010; more than 90 percent received treatment within the recommended 90 minutes much better than the 2005 rate of 44 percent.

The improvement in the above statics can be largely credited to The American College of Cardiology’s “Door-to-Balloon” campaign. This campaign focuses on providing a person suffering a myocardial infarction with expedient care and as near immediate access to thrombolytics and angioplasty as possible (H the “Door-to-Balloon” reference). The D2B protocol has not only reduced patient morbidity and mortality by 30 percent, it has resulted in an improvement of the long-term health of the patient, and improving the long-term health of a patient has been found to reduce the costs of health care in the future.

With widespread implementation of initiatives like the Door-to-balloon program we would see a reduction in the costs of health care in general. D2B may be just the lifesaving intervention that not only the patient requires, but one the United States health care system needs as well. To learn more about the D2B initiative sign up for a CPR class or online BLS classes at Lifesaver Education.

2011 ACLS Information

Every five years ACLS guidelines are reviewed and protocols or procedures are modified based upon the data collected in the previous five years by The American Heart Association and The International Liaison Committee of Resuscitation. In late 2010 new guidlines for 2011 were announced and are as follows:

A-B-C to C-A-B:

The standard A-B-C (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) has been changed to the C-A-B approach (Circulation, Airway, Breathing). This puts emphasis on circulation and maintaining blood flow in the case of life threatening heart malfunction or arrhythmia.

Chest Compression Changes:

Instead of the previously recommended depression of the sternum to 1 ½ to 2 inches, it is now suggested that a depression of at least 2 inches should be performed and should include a complete recoil of the chest. Compressions should be performed at a rate of at least 100 beats per minutes, rather than the previously recommended 'about' 100 beats per minute, to sustain adequate blood flow to the heart. It has also been suggested that it should take no longer than ten seconds to check for a pulse before initiating compressions.

Quantitative Waveform Capnography Recommendation:

Use of quantitative waveform capnography is recommended for confirmation and monitoring of endotracheal tube placement. Quantitative waveform capnography can monitor the security and stability of the placement while also gauging the effectiveness of chest compressions.

New Med Protocols:

Four new medication changes have be en implemented for 2011. Firstly, atropine is no longer recommended for routine use in the management of pulseless electrical activity (PEA) or asystole. Secondly, adenosine is indicated for the treatment of undifferentiated wide-complex tachycardia when the rhythm is regular and the QRS complex is monomorphic. Thirdly, IV chronotropic medications can be an effective alternative to externally pacing a patient exhibiting symptomatic or unstable bradycardia. And, finally, supplementing the oxygen for uncomplicated acute coronary syndromes is no longer indicated and should only be used when a patient's oxyhemoglobin saturation is less than or equal to 94 percent.

Emergency Care Priority:

So as not to delay or interrupt chest compressions or the use of defibrillators, establishing advanced airways, vascular access and introducing medications no longer take precedence over high quality CPR and access to defibrillation.

Post Cardiac Arrest Care:

The newest guidelines for PCAC include a structured care system offering therapeutic hypothermia treatments and percutaneous coronary interventions such as revascularization and angiography.

New Stroke Guidlines:

The window of time for use of thrombolytics (rTPA) remains at within three hours of onset of stroke symptoms, but in selected patients can be extended to be within four and one-half hours after symptom onset. Also, the prehospital treatment of blood pressure has been de-emphasized.

Keep yourself informed about the latest ACLS guidelines by signing up for local Los Angeles CPR classes or an online BLS course.

CPR: Things Have Changed

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, was first conceptualized and demonstrated in the mid-1800s as a way to revive a patient after cardiac arrest (heart failure). It wasn't until the 1960s that our current model of CPR made its way into the annals of medicine, and thus into the hands of citizens, enabling all of us to be potential lifesavers. In 2010, the American Heart Association (AHA) modified its operations acronym from ABC - Airway, Breathing, Circulation - to CAB (Circulation, Airway, Breathing).

There are two ways a person can perform CPR: hands-only or with assisted breathing. Both methods can save a life if performed properly. It is recommended by the Mayo Clinic that only trained and confident practitioners of CPR attempt to assist another individual with breathing. Most of the time, performing hands-only CPR at the rate of about 100 chest compressions per minute until professional medical help arrives is enough to make a difference. Always remember to take the age and build of the sufferer into consideration. Only trained and current holders of a valid CPR certification course should attempt to do CPR on an infant or newborn.

The AHA has reported that more than 2/3 of cardiac arrest sufferers fail to receive CPR. Part of this problem is caused by witnesses that are afraid to attempt to help, for fear of getting sued or hindering the situation further. The fact is, if someone is in cardiac arrest, even performing chest compressions can save their life - and can hardly hurt them. Many states have Good Samaritan Laws - laws that protect those that try to assist people in need of medical attention.

It is important to learn CPR; it is estimated that even the hands-only, compression-only form of CPR can double or triple the odds of survival of the sufferer of a heart attack. Possessing the ability to save the life of a person in need, especially if that person happens to be a loved one, is invaluable. A CPR or EKG certification class is not very long, nor very expensive, and is always worth it. Find a Los Angeles CPR Class by visiting Lifesaver Education.

Sources

http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/first-aid-cpr/FA00061/METHOD=print

http://handsonlycpr.org/

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/CPRAndECC/WhatisCPR/CPRFactsandStats/History-of-CPR_UCM_307549_Article.jsp

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/CPRAndECC/WhatisCPR/CPRFactsandStats/CPR-Statistics_UCM_307542_Article.jsp