Congestive heart failure is a severe condition that can lead to death. It occurs when the heart becomes ineffective in pumping blood throughout the body, thus leading to fatigue as well as other symptoms.

The sad truth is, as we get older and our bodies start to weaken gradually, so, too, do our heart muscles. When the heart’s pumps become ineffective, there is a very high chance of developing life-threatening conditions such as heart failure, which can lead to death.

The American Heart Association advises people to remain aware of the symptoms of heart failure as they can avoid tragic outcomes if the signs are detected early.

Below are some of the Symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure

Fatigue

Do you feel tired even when you have done nothing to warrant fatigue the entire day? When your heart becomes incapable of pumping oxygen-rich blood effectively, your body fails to meet its energy requirements for optimal functioning. You should not ignore repeated body fatigue, especially if you are always tired even after waking up.

Activity Limitation

When you become incapable of doing typical day-to-day activities that you would usually do with relative ease, then you should contact your physician for further tests. Heart failure denies your vital organs the required energy levels because the heart does not pump enough oxygen to meet your body’s needs.

Congestion

Are you experiencing breathing difficulty or fluid build-up in your lungs? If you experience these symptoms without suffering from other medical conditions, then you should contact your physician, especially if your body relays some of the symptoms discussed in this article. Lung congestion can be as a result of fluid concentration in the lungs, which tends to lead to coughs and wheezes.

Ankle Swelling or Edema

If your heart lacks the strength to pump used blood back up, then chances are you are experiencing heart failure. Failure often results in swelling of legs and other lower parts of the body from fluid build-up. The excess fluid can lead to rapid weight gain and further complications.

Shortness of Breath

When you have fluid in your lungs, it becomes relatively difficult for oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange to take place in the blood. Fluid concentration leads to difficulty in breathing, more so when lying flat because fluids from below the lungs travel up due to gravity.

While these symptoms do not 100% confirm that you have heart failure, they are signs that point towards underlying cardiac problems. As a result, you should seek immediate attention from your doctor.

As you might have noticed, you could easily mistake some of these symptoms for other conditions. Most patients assume that fatigue or leg swelling will vanish over time. However, making such assumptions can prove fatal, especially if they persist for long.

Are you living with a friend or family member with some of these symptoms? Taking preventive care is the best way to deal with heart disease. Enroll at CityWide CPR to take part in our instructor-led CPR training. Our CPR classes will teach you everything about heart failure and responding to heart emergencies by the time you get your certification.

Your heart is the engine that keeps your body moving and functioning. Similar to how you service your car frequently to ensure it works properly, so, too, should you keep your heart functioning well by exercising regularly.

Did you know that regular exercise helps to keep heart diseases at bay? As a muscular organ, your heart loves a workout, which explains why people who exercise regularly are less likely to develop heart conditions compared to those who don’t.

Curious to know which exercises are ideal for your heart? Read on as we discuss the best workouts that will keep your heart healthy.

Walking

We prefer starting with the easiest of them all. A simple walk can make a huge difference in your heart health.  And the best part is that you don’t have to walk for marathon distances to improve your heart strength. A simple 20-minute or half-hour walk every other day can help keep you fit and your muscles well stretched. Consistency, however, is vital when it comes to walks. Walking every day can get the job done.

Weight Training

Building your other muscles will have a positive impact on your heart health. Burning fat and building muscle mass will improve your overall conditioning and also improve your heart’s overall muscular capabilities. You don’t have to lift bodybuilder weights to improve heart health. Exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, and even squats can make a huge difference.

Swimming

Swimming is a fantastic cardio exercise guaranteed to improve your heart health. While some people view swimming as a hobby, it is also an effective full-body workout. Again, you don’t have to swim like an Olympic champion to improve your health. A few minutes to an hour is enough to keep your heart muscles active and well stretched.

Interval Training

As a muscle, your heart loves a proper workout. Intensity training is one efficient workout regimen that will get your heart muscles pumping with vigor. You can choose to jog or sprint for three minutes, then walk for five minutes. The start-stop intensity is ideal in developing heart muscles as they pump and relax to keep up with your activities.

Cycling

Keeping your heart healthy is not as hard as people say. You can improve your heart health by participating in typical day-to-day activities. Love cycling? Then why not make it intentional? Set aside some days for cycling across the park or scenic hikes. Not only will this help reduce stress but also help to increase the strength of your heart muscles.

In case you are living with someone suffering from heart disease, then it is crucial to learn how to assist either through helping them with their workouts or administering first aid in the event of an emergency.

Learn how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED) and give CPR by enrolling in our instructor-led CPR training. At Citywide CPR, we provide CPR classes that will help to increase your understanding of how to handle heart conditions and support your loved one to make lifestyle changes.

Did you know that your heart health depends mainly on your day-to-day habits? Heart disease is a common ailment responsible for millions of deaths every year. Unfortunately, the risk of heart disease increases as one becomes older, highlighting the importance of developing positive lifestyle habits.

Conditions like obesity, depression, and diabetes increase the chances of developing heart disease. Sadly, unlike other organs that can have transplants upon damage or injury, your heart is irreplaceable, thus highlighting the need to establish positive habits aimed to improve your heart health.

Below are proven ways to overcome stumbling blocks to a healthy heart

Understand the Symptoms of Heart Disease

The best way to fight and prevent heart disease is by understanding its symptoms. The American Heart Association (AHA), through its senior researchers, asserts that pressure, pain, or discomfort around the chest region might point towards potential issues with heart health. Pain in the upper back, abdominal areas, shoulders, and neck could also signal the start of heart complications.

Check on Your Diet

Your heart health and overall well-being heavily depend on the types of food you consume. Foods with high-cholesterol levels harm our hearts. Cholesterol in the form of low-density lipoprotein tends to block your blood vessels, and prevent the flow, thus increasing the chances of stroke.

To keep doctors and heart disease at bay, you should check on your diet to ensure that you eat what is required. A balanced diet will help your body function optimally, from the blood vessels to the major organs like the heart and the brain.

Exercise Regularly

As you get older, your heart muscles, similar to other muscles, will gradually get weaker. Your work is to ensure that no fat deposits settle around your heart’s vessels, which, more often than not, leads to unwanted outcomes. Regular exercise will help to keep you in check and strengthen your heart muscles to ensure that blood flows as required. The last thing you want is fat deposits clogging your vessels.

The good thing about exercise is that you don’t have to hit the gym to have an effective workout. A simple jog or walk around your neighborhood can help improve your heart health. Start taking the stairs to reduce fat deposits and keep your body healthy and active.

Learn More about Heart Disease

To effectively overcome heart disease, you should learn more about the condition. The surest way to win a war is to study the opposition to come up with adequate attack strategies. Although you might not be a victim of heart disease, your family or close friends might be affected, which is why you need to learn more about the condition.

Consider learning emergency treatment solutions by taking CPR classes where you will learn more about handling heart attacks and other emergencies related to the heart. Undertaking CPR classes will ensure that you fully understand the relevant first aid measures and also how to use emergency equipment like an AED.

High blood pressure or hypertension is a serious medical condition that can lead to death if not identified and managed early enough. It is essential to take several tests to determine whether you have the condition.

Below are five things you should know about High Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure is a Silent Killer

Unfortunately, there are no apparent symptoms when it comes to hypertension, precisely why nearly half of people with the condition don’t have a diagnosis. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), approximately 46% of Americans have high blood pressure, but they don’t know about it yet! Most symptoms of high blood pressure are similar to common ailments, a factor that often leads to the underestimation of the symptoms.

You Need to Check your Blood Pressure Regularly

Before a medical professional makes a high blood pressure diagnosis, you should undertake several tests. Having normal blood pressure doesn’t mean that you neglect to take the tests in the future altogether. Regular testing will help to diagnose hypertension early enough to allow your physician to take adequate management measures.

Hypertension Can Lead to Other Conditions

Did you know that hypertension is a risk factor for stroke, heart attack, aneurysm, and heart failure? It is crucial to check your blood pressure regularly to reduce the risk of contracting these potentially fatal heart conditions. The best way to maintain and improve your heart health is through regular checks, which will help to diagnose and manage the disease early enough.

Lifestyle Changes Can Help Control Hypertension

High blood pressure is a lifestyle disease. That is, your lifestyle determines whether or not you gradually develop high blood pressure. Habits like smoking and excessive drinking increase the chances of high blood pressure and can even accelerate the rate of developing further heart-related complications. Dropping negative habits will almost certainly improve your heart health.

Exercise Is Essential

Regular exercise will help you to avoid hypertension. And, if you receive a diagnosis of high blood pressure, regular workouts can help to manage and treat the condition. You should aim to exercise at least four days a week. The good thing, though, is that you don’t have to participate in vigorous exercise regimens to get your heart in order.

A simple walk or jog every other day is enough to improve your overall health. Swimming and cycling are other alternatives that you can take up to strengthen your heart muscles.

While hypertension is not life-threatening, it can lead to severe conditions that could prove fatal if not managed or treated on time. We recommend regular testing to know your pressure levels. Testing once in a while is not enough; you need to check at least once a year to be on the safe side. You should also avoid unnecessary stress and harmful habits like smoking to reduce the chances of high blood pressure.

It is vital to have adequate skills and knowledge on how to manage heart emergencies. Enroll for our CPR programs for non-healthcare professionals to learn more about heart conditions and the best ways to provide first aid to your loved ones with heart disease. After enrolling in Citywide CPR, expect to get a certification once you complete our instructor-led CPR classes.

Overcoming heart disease risk is a challenge as it claims one out of every five lives annually. It tends to affect more people who are over 40 years old, have high blood pressure, or a family member who suffers from heart disease. Conditions such as diabetes, depression, and obesity can also increase your risk of developing heart disease.

Some of the measures you can take to reduce the risk of heart disease include:

Know the Symptoms

The most obvious way to know that you are at risk is by being aware of the symptoms. If you feel some pressure, or discomfort, or pain around the chest area, you’re likely to have heart disease. Pain in the arms and discomfort on the neck, upper back, neck, shoulders, or abdominal areas could signal the onset of heart disease in women.

While these are the common symptoms of heart disease, other unrelated symptoms that can keep the well-hidden of illness for years. Be wary of signs such as sweating, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, and shortness of breath.

Watch your Diet

Eating a well-balanced diet will always keep the doctors at bay. Avoid foods with high cholesterol as it’s not good for your heart. And, it is not just any cholesterol. The body stores two types of cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL).

Your body mainly stores up LDL, which can block your blood vessels. According to the Centers for Disease Control, this blockage can obstruct blood flow, leading to chest pains and stroke. It also increases heart disease risk in women and men. However, HLD helps flush the bad cholesterol from your system, hence protecting the heart.

Consuming foods rich in HDL is a great way to keep heart disease in check. Women need higher levels of good cholesterol than men. The recommended HDL level in women is 250 mg/dl. LDL levels should be lower than 130 mg/dl.

Balancing between good and bad cholesterol can be a challenge for people who do not have CPR training. Find medical professionals who are CPR certified for prescriptions to help you balance your cholesterol levels.

Also, avoid foods rich in trans and saturated fats, and go for Omega 3 fatty acids that are rich in HDL. Mayo Clinic recommends more fruits and vegetables and advises against eating high-sodium and refined foods.

Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle

Apart from eating well, watch your lifestyle too. Positive lifestyle changes can reduce heart disease risk in women by more than 80 percent. Start aerobic training, quit smoking, and cut down on alcohol.

Manage your weight and maintain a BMI of below 25. Avoid stress and keep your anger in check. If you have diabetes, ensure that you take your medication, manage your weight, eat a balanced diet, and also exercise regularly.

Are you living with someone who suffers from coronary heart disease? Learn how to give CPR, use automated external defibrillator (AED), and administer first aid to heart patients.

Enroll in instructor led CPR classes at CityWide CPR and get your certification. Our CPR classes will show you how to reduce heart disease risk in women and men.

Heart disease in blood vessels is known as atherosclerosis. It occurs when oxygen-carrying blood vessels become thick, to a point where they constrict blood flow to body tissues and organs. Common causes include cholesterol buildup, fats, and other substances on artery walls. Other than these factors, arteries can harden because of unhealthy lifestyles.

While people associate it with the heart, atherosclerosis can affect blood vessels in any part of the body. A clot can blood clot can occur in the arm or lower legs or brain or lungs. If you have ever received CPR training, you may recognize the following symptoms of atherosclerosis.

Chest pain

It’s the most common symptom of heart disease and is sometimes called angina. It can manifest as heaviness, discomfort, aching, fullness, pressure, painful, squeezing, or a burning feeling in the chest. Some patients may mistake it for heartburn or indigestion, and feel it in the shoulders, neck, throat, arms, jaw, or back.

Heart attack

Myocardial infarction occurs when an artery is completely blocked. Symptoms such as shortness of breath, pain in the arm or shoulder, sweating, and crushing pressure in the chest can signal a heart attack. This problem seems to affect more men than women, and can sometimes occur without any of the above signs.

Swollen feet and ankles

If your leg, ankle, or foot swells to a point where the finger leaves an indentation, you may reason to worry because you’re likely to experience heart failure. Swollen feet and ankles could be due to kidney disease, eating too much salty food, liver failure, a side effect of calcium-channel blockers, or venous inefficiency.

Shortness of breath

Atherosclerosis disease compromises the heart’s ability to pump blood efficiently. If the heart cannot pump enough blood to the body, you may experience shortness of breath and extreme fatigue with exertion.

Numbness and weakness in the legs

When atherosclerosis affects the blood vessels leading to the brain, it can trigger sudden weakness and numbness in your legs and arms. Other signs and symptoms include drooping facial muscles, difficulty speaking, slurred speech, and temporary loss of vision. A combination of these symptoms causes a transient ischemic attack, which leads to stroke if left untreated.

High blood pressure

Hypertension is a common symptom among people with heart disease in their blood vessels. It occurs when the arteries or vessels get clogged, causing the heart to work harder to pump blood. If not checked, it can cause kidney failure.

Other signs and symptoms of atherosclerosis include level-headedness, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, sweating, trouble understanding speech, and sudden severe headaches.

What can you do?

The best first aid is CPR. The best person to administer CPR is someone who has undergone CPR training. Signing up for classes and getting CPR certification increases your awareness and makes you ready. You will be capable of handling emergencies and using AED equipment to help victims with heart disease.

Performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can help keep a person who isn’t breathing alive until paramedics arrive. It ensures blood flow, thus, doubling or even tripling a patient’s chances of survival.

However, performing CPR on an adult is very different from doing it on an infant or child. The reason is a child’s physiology – bone density, strength, and musculature- are different from that of a mature person. if you perform adult CPR on a child, you will cause more harm than good. This post seeks to differentiate the various types of CPR.

Adult CPR

Some of the things you should do before starting CPR include:

• Call 911

You’ll need to check for factors putting the patient in danger. It could be anything from an accident to a fire. Check the patient and see if they are conscious. Tap their shoulder and ask if they are OK. If they don’t respond, call 911 and have a bystander look for an automated external defibrillator (AED) machine if possible.

• Place the patient on their back and open their airways

Be careful when placing the person on their back then kneel beside the chest. Lift the chin and tilt the head back slightly. Check for any obstruction such as food and remove it, if loose. Push it further into the airway if not.

• Check for breathing

Place your ear over the mouth and listen for sounds of breathing. If you don’t hear anything during the first 10 seconds or only hear occasional gasps, start CPR. Do not perform CPR if the patient is unconscious and breathing.

Here are steps for actual CPR.

• Chest compressions

Place your hands in the center of the chest. Clasp them and straighten your elbows, then begin compressions. Push at least 2 inches deep and allow the chest to rise fully between compressions. Compress the chest 100 times per minute for optimal results.

• Rescue breaths

Tilt the head back slightly and lift the chin. With the patient’s nose pinched shut, place your mouth over theirs and blow. The chest should rise and if not, re-tilt the head and perform a second rescue breath. If you get the same results, it may be because the person is choking.

• Repeat

Perform 30 compressions followed by two rescue breaths repeatedly until help arrives or the patient starts breathing again.

Infant and Child CPR

The preparation steps for infant and child CPR are similar to those of adult CPR. As for the actual CPR, you should start with two rescue breaths. Ensure that the child’s head is tilted backward and the chin raised. Pinch the nose and breathe into their mouth twice. If dealing with an infant, put them in a sniffing position and use your cheeks to puff air into their mouth and nose. Avoid using the full force of your lungs when providing rescue breaths to an infant.

Perform 30 chest compressions using one hand for a child and press down 2 inches at least 100 times per minute. Use two fingers for an infant to perform 30 chest compressions each 1.5 inches deep. Repeat the cycle until the child starts breathing or paramedics arrive.

The American Heart Association recognizes CPR as a life-saving first aid procedure. It improves the survival odds of a heart attack victim or in any heart-related emergency. Because of the variation in age and circumstances, getting CPR training is the best way to prepare for an emergency. Get in touch with us today for more information.

Some say cough CPR a life-saving technique that could help heart patients avert cardiac arrest. The theory behind it is that it exerts pressure in the chest, which helps sustain blood flow to the brain, keeping a person conscious until they receive treatment. Is it among the skills taught in CPR classes? How effective is it?

Many authorized training centers such as City Wide teach various CPR techniques to health and emergency medical professionals. First responders are supposed to undergo training and obtain a certificate to be able to respond effectively to emergency cases.

Cardiac arrest is a complicated condition that can happen suddenly without any warning. Caregivers and trained lay people nearby can only perform hands-only CPR. Trained CPR specialists cannot administer cough CPR. Instead, CPR specialists use an automated external defibrillator (AED) for resuscitation. The bottom line is coughing is never taught as a skill as it can only be self-administered.

When to administer cough CPR

The American Heart Association (AHA) does not recommend cough CPR as part of CPR training because it cannot help resuscitate unresponsive patients. While that’s the case, patients can save their own lives using a simple cough. This technique can only work if there are early symptoms of cardiac arrest or at a clinic during monitoring. To successfully administer this treatment on yourself, you need to be able to detect cardiac arrest early enough.

Signs and symptoms of emergency cardiac arrest

Cardiac arrest occurs when electric pulses interfere with the heart rhythm. In this case, the patient experiences irregular heartbeats. The heart can beat too fast or too slowly. Common triggers include lack of exercise, high blood pressure, smoking, and other health complications.

Apart from irregular heartbeats, patients can also experience symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, wheezing dizziness, and light-headedness. Since these symptoms are generalized and shared among many health conditions, it can be hard for first-timers to detect a cardiac arrest in time.

Studies show that pre-existing conditions such as congenital heart disease, coronary heart disease, and valvular heart disease increase the chance of developing sudden cardiac arrest. If you have these conditions and start experiencing the symptoms mentioned, call 911 or emergency medical services immediately. At this point, you can also try the cough CPR before you lose consciousness.

Cough CPR in emergency cardiac arrest

If you suddenly start experiencing signs such as chest pain, palpitations, and shortness of breath, it will just be a matter of seconds before you lose consciousness. While coughing can work as chest compressions, you can only administer it on yourself as long as you are conscious. You cannot compress your chest after fainting, and neither can you cough your way out of an attack.

To save your life, ensure that you have someone nearby who has taken CPR classes and knows how to use AED. While cough CPR can prevent cardiac arrest, only CPR training can save the lives of heart patients in an emergency.

If you’d like to know how to better respond to cardiac arrest as a medic or paramedic, enroll in CPR classes at Citywide CPR and get your CPR certification.

Heart disease and heart failure are two life-threatening conditions that could indicate a deep-seated problem that affects the most crucial organ in the body, the heart. However, they’re not the same thing. The most important thing is to know how to manage a victim of a heart attack, and this is where CPR classes will help.

Heart Disease

Unlike a cardiovascular disease, which affects the blood vessels and the circulatory system, heart disease manifests as disorders or defects in the heart. It’s responsible for one of four deaths in the United States and Western Europe. Risk factors include smoking, family history, hypertension, obesity, and extended sitting.

There are many types of heart disease. Here are the major ones:

• Arrhythmias
• Dilated cardiomyopathy
• Myocardial infarction
• Mitral valve prolapse
• Pulmonary stenosis
• Mitral valve regurgitation
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
• Coronary artery disease

Common symptoms of heart disease include chest pain (angina), shortness of breath, sweating, and heart palpitations. The above forms of heart disease can cause a heart attack.

Since this is a life-long condition, you have to learn how to manage it by lowering the intake of cholesterol-rich foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining healthy body weight. Where necessary, your doctor administers medications and arranges surgery to remedy the condition.

Heart Failure

Heart failure is a condition where the heart muscles weaken and fail to pump blood properly. It can be acute (sudden) or chronic (life-long). Because the heart doesn’t pump blood normally, hormones and the nervous system intervene by raising blood pressure. High blood pressure causes the heart to beat faster and secondly, retain both water and salt.

If fluids accumulate, the condition becomes congestive heart failure. Notable signs include shortness of breath, fatigue, rapid or irregular heartbeat, persistent cough, abdominal swelling, rapid weight gain, reduced appetite, and chest pain.

Some of the major causes of heart failure include:

• Heart valve disease
• Thyroid disease
• Narrow arteries
• Congenital heart defects
• Viral infections
• Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats)
• Cardiomyopathy
• Chemotherapy
• HIV/AIDS
• Alcohol abuse

You’re likely to be put under medication for the rest of your life and to undergo corrective heart surgery to fix a defective valve. If you’re experiencing irregular heartbeats, a cardiologist can implant an ICD to correct irregular heartbeats and to facilitate defibrillation.

CPR Training – Does It Help?

Yes, it does. CPR training makes you aware of the signs of heart attack and prepares you for an emergency. From caregivers attending to invalid patients to individuals who have family members with heart disease, CPR classes equip you with life-saving skills. You learn how to respond to a victim or heart failure and keep them alive until paramedics arrive.

According to the American Health Association (AHA), the first link in the chain of survival is early access, which involves calling 911 or activating emergency services. The next link it to perform CPR on the victim until an AED arrives. Once the EMS unit arrives at the scene, they can administer medication and use breathing devices or administer defibrillation shocks, if necessary.

More than half of the cases of heart attacks occur outside the hospital. It could be at home, at the workplace, or on the road. Wherever it strikes, you have a small window of 10 minutes to respond. Failure to act could mean sudden death.

Every caregiver should obtain some CPR training at some point in their life to be ready to save those they care for. The reason is that the heart is a vital organ that can fail at any time. Often, cardiac arrest happens without any warning, and this is where home treatment comes in handy. Whether the people you are looking after have had previous heart problems or not, parents, nannies, or caregivers should learn how to give heart first aid at home.

How to help cardiac arrest patients

If you were talking to someone, and they suddenly stop responding or moving or blinking, they could be having a cardiac arrest. If they are not gasping for air, they are not breathing. If you have never encountered this before, you may think they are already dead. Check their pulse.

Here are a couple of things you can do to save them before the 911 response team arrives:

1. Administer CPR. CPR is a specialized procedure that is only administered by certified professionals. If you have CPR training, administer it as soon as you notice that the person is struggling to breathe or not breathing at all. Don’t worry if you haven’t taken CPR classes. The American Heart Association recommends that you perform CCR instead. This rapid hands-only compression technique can ensure the continuous circulation of oxygen.
2. Get an automated external defibrillator (AED). Sudden cardiac arrest can be a real scare, but performing CPR until an AED arrives can save a life. In case of an emergency cardiac arrest, the only thing that can resuscitate a patient is an AED. However, let the response team find you administering CPR.

As cardiac arrest patients grow old, the chances of developing ventricular fibrillation also increase. You can easily access an automated AED in a mall, airport, and other public places. If someone collapses near you, reach for an AED near you to save their life. However, if you do not understand how to use one, or do not have access to one, wait until the medical staff comes. Notify paramedics on 911 about the emergency and ask them to bring an AED.

Where can you learn about managing CPR at home?

Paramedics and police officers are usually the first responders in emergencies. If you plan to pursue this line of profession, you need to take CPR classes. Other professionals that require CPR certification include respiratory therapists, nurses, nursing assistants, paramedics, and occupational therapists, among others.

Citywide CPR is an authorized training center that aims to equip caregivers with life-saving skills to help heart patients in America. Visit our training portal to enroll in our video-based classes. You’ll learn the different CPR techniques for different types of patients and obtain a certificate at the end of the program. You can also receive first aid training at an AHA kiosk near you. General first aid skills from Red Cross can also help you take care of heart patients who incur injuries during emergency attacks.