Summertime is one of the most awaited seasons of almost everyone. Perhaps, it is the perfect time to go for a vacation and achieve ultimate relaxation or quality bonding time with the family. Then, when speaking about summer, one thing that comes first to anyone’s head is the cool, blue splashes of water, whether it’s in a beach or a swimming pool. There are lots of fun activities you can do during summer, but it can’t be denied that swimming tops the list.

In order to maximize the relaxation and enjoyment you can get in your summer getaway, it would be best to take all the necessary preventive measures in the nicest way possible. You can bring inflatable floatation devices that children as well as adults can use to prevent getting drowned, especially for those who don’t know how to swim. It’s also a good idea to choose a swimming destination where there is a reliable service of a lifeguard. However, it is also important to know what to do just in case certain preventive measures fail to protect your loved ones. For example, when someone gets drowned, the most suggested action to take is to apply cardiopulmonary resuscitation to recover the patient’s heart from asphyxiation caused by the excessive water taken inside his body.

There are three primary steps in doing CPR and these are abbreviated as CAB. First, C stands for chest compressions, which are typically done at a rate of 100 times per minute and should be at least 2 inches deep each. For little kids, chest compressions should be done mildly in order to prevent breakage of their ribs and other bones within the chest area. Secondly, A stands for airway, which means that you have to provide enough space around the patient and position his neck and head in such a way that there would be no blockage throughout his own airway. Lastly, B stands for breathing and it refers to what most people know as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. You can do this if you are comfortable with it. Otherwise, you can just switch back to chest compressions. The basic purpose of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is to help suck out the excessive water through the patient’s mouth. Just repeat these three steps until such time that the patient recovers normal breathing and heart rhythm or when the patient unfortunately loses his life.

Remember that summer vacations are meant to be fun and relaxing. That’s why you have to make sure that everything will be alright and there would be no troubles to get along the way. With proper planning and utmost safety, you could be at ease that you make the most of your summer getaway so that it could be a memorable one. Go for a CPR training now; this would enable you to become a more responsible and prepared person for your loved ones, not only during summer trips, but even in ordinary days at home. Feel free to check out the CPR training programs offered at Citywide CPR on its official website!

Living with a person severely at risk of certain heart disease requires great responsibility and utmost preparedness. Anytime at any place, such heart disease could attack and if not taken care of immediately and properly, it could take away the life of your loved one. Of course, you don’t want that to happen. That’s why it is very important to know the best preventive measures that you can do to lessen the chance of between-life-and-death scenarios to occur.

To start with, you have to get yourself educated with the certain heart disease your loved one suffers from. Here are some key facts you have to know about the most common and most dangerous heart diseases:

• Heart Attack – this is a fatal heart disease that is basically triggered by ventricular fibrillation or a disturbance in the heart’s electrical rhythm. It is otherwise known as myocardial infarction (MI) and its occurrence is typically unpredictable.
• Heart Enlargement – medically known as cardiomegaly, this heart disease could be classified as cardiac dilation where a cardiac chamber is enlarged or cardiac hypertrophy where the cardiac muscle is primarily enlarged.
• Irregular Heart Rhythm – this is medical condition is also termed as arrhythmia and it comes in several forms such as the atrial fibrillation. Because of this heart disease, there is a possibility that the heart could no longer function properly and eventually fail to pump blood in and out throughout the body.
• Heart Muscle Disease – this is another threatening heart disease that could affect both men and women of different ages. It is medically referred to as cardiomyopathy and its common forms are dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and restrictive cardiomyopathy.
• Heart Murmurs – this medical condition is primarily caused by the flow of blood through an overworked or damaged heart valve.
• Marfan Syndrome – this is a genetic heart disease that degrades the quality of connective tissues in the heart and other cardiovascular organs in the body.

Among the usual symptoms of most heart diseases is the unusual weakening of various parts of the body. Most of the time, sufferers are likely to get easily tired, dizzy, exhausted, and in worst case, they could faint and lose their consciousness. When these symptoms are experienced or if there are other unusual symptoms experienced, it would be best to consult a physician right away and take the immediate treatment.

Moreover, it has been advised in almost any health guides that balanced diet and regular essential are a must. Same goes when taking good care of the heart: it’s best to eat only those that are healthy for the heart and pursue exercise routines that would keep the heart working properly. There are also recommended food supplements that could be taken to further prevent the occurrence or worsening of the certain heart disease. On the other hand, when the person you are with could suffer from heart attack or any sudden cardiac problem, the best thing you can do is to apply cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) instantly. Thus, go for a CPR training immediately to know how you can practice this life-saving action effectively. Visit citywidecpr.com to find out a list of CPR training options.

One bad thing that comes along with the convenience and other benefits brought by technology are the electric hazards that may occur despite your observation of some safety measures. Take note that most automated devices today are powered by electricity and once they are mishandled, they could turn either into a destructive device or into a killer machine. Among the most common electrical hazards are ignition of fire and explosion. For the users, the usual concern is the risk of electric shock, which could be as worst as serious injury or even death.

What Happens When a Person Gets Electric Shocked?

Electric shock basically occurs when a person gets contact – whether directly or indirectly – with any electrically energized object that is commonly in the form of a “live wire”. This makes the sufferer’s body act as part of the electric circuit in which electric current flows through it and a voltage drop is received by his body. The sufferer usually reacts in a surprise upon getting electrically shocked as a result of the electric current that has flown through his skin surface that touched the energized object. Most people’s instinct is to immediately let go of the certain object. However, when the contact is with a highly energized metal, there is a possibility that the shocked victim will lose control of his body and so he gets stuck and eventually suffers from severe injury.

How Electric Shock Becomes Lethal?

The skin surface that gets contact with the live wire usually gets burned and its severity basically depends on the current and voltage rating of the circuit as well as on the duration of the contact. In worst cases, getting electric shocked could affect the heart’s rhythm and thus, ventricular fibrillation takes place. It happens when the electric current is large enough to be able to cross the victim’s chest. Other than that, extreme electric shock could also result to neurological effects, which takes place once current reaches the brain and causes interference with the victim’s nervous control, especially over the heart and other cardiorespiratory organs. Either way, the sufferer could lose his life unless immediate remedy is applied on him.

What to Do to Save the Life of an Electric Shocked Person?

It is never advisable to attempt pulling the electrically shocked person away from the live wire because when you do, you might suffer from the same situation and it could even be worse. That’s why the most recommendable action is to immediately find a safe way to shut down the electric system or circuit that the victim gets contact with. Once the victim gets away from the live wire, you must instantly apply cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and/or make use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) to attempt to recover the his heart rhythm.

Visit citywidecpr.com if you want to put up an AED Program Management and AED Medical Oversight in your workplace or community. With the help of an effective AED Program Management and AED Medical Oversight, your community would be able to become less vulnerable to various electric hazards.

Brain damage and death are the two worst conditions that could take place from a person suffering from severe malfunctioning of heart. That is why even laymen or ordinary citizens are now strongly encouraged by the American Heart Association (AHA) to get to know what could be done to save a person caught in a between-life-and-death situation. Everyone must keep in mind that the more the life-threatening symptoms are prolonged without application of any first-aid care, the lower the victim’s chance of survival will be.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR has been considered as the primary action that an immediate responder should apply to a sufferer of heart failure or any condition of the heart resulting to seizure. This is especially given to the victim when he is in an unconscious state, has no pulse, and does not breathe. Take note of this generalized chart on the victim’s chance of survival with respect to the time CPR is applied:

• 0 to 4 minutes after the symptoms occurred – minimal chances of brain damage
• 4 to 6 minutes after the symptoms occurred – fair possibility of brain damage
• 6 to 10 minutes after the symptoms occurred – high chances of brain damage
• More than 10 minutes after the symptoms occurred – high chances of brain death

Before doing CPR, there are several preventive measures that must be realized and done as quickly as possible. First, make sure both of you and the patient are in a safe place – must be away from any pointed object, moving mechanical equipment, open source of fire or electricity, passing vehicles, and other means of harm. Although it is not advisable to take time moving the victim to another location, it is still preferable to do CPR to a more spacious area in order to provide better airway to the patient and also so you can perform CPR much better. If possible, call 911 or any medical expert within the area immediately before you provide the necessary first aid care.

CPR is basically done in a cycle of 3 major steps, abbreviated as C-A-B. C is for chest compression, which is intended to provide artificial blood circulation that prolongs the decay of the brain tissues while the heart is inactive. External chest compressions are typically at least 2 inches deep for adults (less for children) at a cycle of 100 times per minute. If there’s no sign of progress, proceed to A, which stands for airway. It is simply positioning the patient’s head and body in a way that there would be a clear airway for him. Just carefully tilt the patient’s head back using one hand and lift his chin forward using your other hand. Lastly, B stands for breathing, which is usually in the form of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation that intends to provide artificial breathing to the patient. You can skip this part and go back to chest compressions if you are not comfortable doing it.

You can also go for a CPR training course for more useful information. Citywide CPR provides extensive CPR training programs to those who want to become a more effective and responsible lifesaver.

The respiratory and circulatory systems of the body hold the most important processes that sustain life. That’s why these two should work hand in hand effectively. When a person suffers from a certain abnormality in his heart’s functions, he would likely to experience difficulty in breathing. In the same way, the heart and other cardiovascular organs of the body would get affected once there is absence or lack of oxygen breathed inside the body.

The condition of extreme deficiency in the supply of oxygen due to abnormal breathing is called asphyxiation, or asphyxia for short. Suffocation and attacks of asthma are common cases of this medical condition. Both of these can bring a sufferer to a comatose state or much worse, to death. Asphyxiation could occur anywhere, especially when there is a low or no supply of oxygen such as underwater, a dusty or heavily polluted environment, an enclosed room, and a place exposed to toxic chemicals. A person who gets electric shocked in a severe level could experience asphyxiation along with ventricular fibrillation that would lead to malfunctioning of the heart.

When someone suffers from asphyxiation that causes him to be unconscious and his heart to stop beating, an advisable immediate action is to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR. Here are some key points to remember if you have never learned about this first aid treatment before:

• Clear the area or try to move the patient to a spacious and safer place if possible.
• Call for help, especially from medical experts or anyone knowledgeable of performing CPR.
• If you are the only immediate responder and there’s no any means of asking for help, start doing CPR right away.
• CPR basically includes 2-inch deep chest compressions or deeper. For adults, it would be best to make it as forceful as you can.
• Ideal timing for chest compressions is 100 times per minute.
• If there’s no progress, position the patient’s head backward and chest forward to provide a clearer airway. Perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation if necessary, possible, and you’re comfortable with it.
• Repeat the process until the patient retrieves normal heartbeat and breathing or until the patient unfortunately loses his life.

Moreover, you can also make use of an automated external defibrillator or AED if it is available. This electronic lifesaver device basically functions as an artificial provider of energy pulses to the malfunctioning heart in order to restore its normal rhythm. Just refer to the user manual and also to the audiovisual prompt of the device to know what to do to make it work.

For more valuable details about CPR and AED, you can opt for Citywide CPR’s emergency medical services training programs. Check out their official website to know more about their CPR training courses or to let them know what you need with regards to emergency medical services.  Start your way to become a more responsible immediate responder anytime and anywhere, especially at home where there is typically no medical expert to help you when such emergency calls. Go for an extensive CPR training at Citywide CPR right now!

It has been suggested by the AHA (American Heart Association) that everyone should be a prepared and effective responder for heart attack sufferers by learning how to use an automated external defibrillator or AED. This is one way to prevent the worsening of the significant increase in casualties brought by heart attack and other life-threatening heart diseases. According to the statistics, such emergency medical conditions usually lead to death when it takes place in an area where there is no nearby medical facility and there is no immediate means of assistance from a medical expert.

Actually, the said recommendation from AHA was derived from the statistical figures indicating that the chance of survival of a person who suffers from sudden malfunctioning of heart significantly decreases in each minute that no first aid care is applied. It should be noted that cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is the most applicable immediate remedy for a person whose life is in danger due to heart attack or any other similar conditions. Statistics have already concluded that the survival rate of the victim is considerably increased with the immediate use of AED along with CPR. This is further increased when the person doing CPR and using the AED is knowledgeable for either of these. How much more if he/she is expert in both CPR and AED?

Keep in mind that most heart diseases are silent killers and they could take the sufferer’s life anytime and anywhere. Even in the most unexpected situations, cases of seizure due to such medical condition are still likely to take place. It should also be noted that not only the adults are candidates for a deadly heart disease. In fact, health organizations have already been alarmed by their recent studies that have concluded the significant rise of heart disease-related casualties among young adults – both men and women. Many of these cases were found out that the victim was not diagnosed and was not aware to have a life-threatening heart condition.

It then follows that any unusual feeling or symptom that could probably be of a heart disease should be consulted to a doctor right away. Other than learning how to use an AED, helping a loved one recognize his/her heart’s medical condition is a big help to prevent its further worsening. That’s why companies, schools, and other entities are now required to have the members of their community regularly checked up. They are also obliged to acquire an AED, which could be used by any immediate responder whenever an emergency calls within the community’s premises. Also, these preventive measures require training for everyone taking part of the group’s movement against threats of heart attack and other heart diseases.

If you want to learn how to plan for effective AED Program Management and AED Medical Oversight for your community, check out citywidecpr.com where you can get to see relevant details and the opportunity to send in your inquiries. Go for the AED Program Management and AED Medical Oversight training courses of Citywide CPR now and start your way to become a prominent lifesaver!

According to the American Heart Association or AHA, each company or community should acquire an automated external defibrillator (AED) and have it ready and accessible anytime. This recommendation is also addressed to schools and other educational institutions; whether private or public, profit-oriented or not. However, many concerned individuals and entities have questioned the requirement of an AED to a school. Most of them believe that schools are not critical areas for cases of sudden cardiac arrest and other life-threatening heart diseases.

With regards to the said concern, here are the following important facts that support the idea of requiring each school to provide an AED:

• Children are not immune to heart attack, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), and other deadly heart diseases. Studies have shown that although most death cases are on adults, there has been a significant rise on the number of young people each year victimized by such medical condition.
• Students are not the only people inside and around the school. Keep in mind that the teachers and other members of the school faculty and utilities are adults, too. They are also prone to a certain heart disease and that’s why they need a means of protection provided by AED.
• Schools sometimes hold events that form a crowd of people. Thus, there is a chance that visitors – who are either adults or young ones – could get exhausted and experience seizure due to the effects of the crowded area or by the activities in the particular event.
• The use of AED along with CPR is not only applicable to sudden cardiac arrest or any similar medical condition. Remember that the purpose of an AED is to recover the normal heart rhythm of the heart. Severe electric shock, suffocation, drug overdose, drowning, and even physical injuries could result to altering the heart’s operation and thus, irregular heart rhythm occurs and it could only be corrected with the application of AED and CPR.
• Learning to use an AED can be included in the school curriculum as additional course. It could also be used to train the teachers and other members of the school community on the operation and maintenance of the AED. As advised by the AHA, everyone should learn how to do CPR as well as how to use an AED in order to become a ready and responsible responder when such emergency calls. That’s why it would be an advantage when there is an available AED within the school’s premises.
• For schools located in a remote area, acquiring an AED also provides emergency medical service for the residences and small entities around the community.

There and more make the justification of the importance of having an AED in a school. If you want to know how to put up an effective AED Program Management and AED Medical Oversight, simply visit citywidecpr.com. Citywide CPR is a prominent training institution for a diverse range of emergency medical services. Just visit their website to get to know more of the AED Program Management and AED Medical Oversight training courses they offer.

Year after year, more or less 350,000 people in the US lose their lives due to heart disease. A huge share in this number is contributed by heart attack – the most common and deadliest disease for the heart. If you happen to be often staying with a person at risk of heart attack, here are some important things you can take note of in order to get yourself prepared enough just in case such between-life-and-death emergency calls.

Heart Attack Basic Description

In its most basic essence, heart attack is a disease commonly caused by ventricular fibrillation, which is a condition manifested by a disturbance in the heart’s electrical rhythm. The heart muscle must be consistently supplied by oxygenated blood to sustain its normal function. Otherwise, it would eventually decay and the entire blood circulation processes in the body will get disturbed. Heart attack occurs once the heart muscle gets permanently damaged. In medical terms, this heart disease is also referred to as myocardial infarction because of the death of tissues in the heart muscle resulted by lack of oxygen-rich blood supply.

Common Heart Attack Symptoms

Most people at risk of heart attack suffer from pain, discomfort, or numbness of the jaw, throat, arm, chest, back, and lower portion of the breastbone. They are also likely to feel unusual indigestion, fullness, nausea, vomiting, choking feeling, dizziness, and/or sweating. Other than that, heart attack sufferers could also experience shortness of breath, body weakness, and anxiety at extreme degree. For severe cases, someone who is at risk of heart attack gets troubled by rapid or irregular heart rhythm due to the occurrence of ventricular fibrillation. This could be compensated through defibrillation or the application of the appropriate amount of electrical shock to the heart.

How Could a Heart Attack Sufferer Get Treated

Just like the advice to other health problems, proper diet and regular exercise are essential steps to treat heart attack or at least prevent its worsening. Ideal foods are those free or with low levels of fat and oil. Food that are rich in fiber and omega-3 oil are among the most recommended by health experts for those who are at risk of heart attack and other types of heart disease. Meanwhile, getting into physical fitness activities regularly is generally a good way to get rid of the accumulated fat in the body that hinder smooth flow of blood to and from the heart. As prescribed by your doctor and fitness coach, go for exercise routines that intend to strengthen the heart and rejuvenate it after being affected by heart attack.

What to Do When a Person Gets Heart Attack Seizure

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends any immediate responder to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to anyone having seizure due to heart attack or any other deadly heart disease. If you are not knowledgeable and if possible, ask help from a medical practitioner or bring the patient to a nearby healthcare facility so that he/she could receive immediate CPR. In addition, you can also go for a CPR training course from a certified CPR training center if you want to learn more about this first aid practice.

The automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are one of the most important technological breakthroughs in the history of mankind. Because of this electronic lifesaver, many have been able to survive a crucial life situation. It has even developed into fully automatic and programmable versions for the convenience of the user and more importantly, for providing higher success rate in recovering a person’s heart rhythm. Thanks to the inventors who have contributed in the evolution of AED technology over the last two centuries.

Just like any other electronic device, there are several risks – both for the user and the victim – that come along with the operation of an AED. These risks could be avoided by following simple safety measures, which include:

• Read and Understand the Device’s User Manual – although you already know a lot about AEDs, it is still necessary for the user to take time reading what is inside the user manual. You have to take note of and understand the specified proper use and maintenance of the device, especially if you’re using it for the first time. Remember that each AED brand and model has its own set of features that has a corresponding set of pros and cons. Therefore, it’s never safe enough to assume how a certain AED works, unless in case of emergency where you have no other choice but to use the device instantly.

• Be Careful with Water Contact and Ingress – never use the device when it is wet. Unplug it using dry cloth or any insulated material as soon as water – even a single drop – gets contact with it. This is to avoid possibility of electric sparks due to short circuit in the device. That’s why always keep your AED away from any possible contact, drop, or splash of water. Other than that, you should also never use the device using your wet hands to avoid risk of getting electric shocked.

• Avoid Electromagnetic (EM) Radiations from Other Devices – as much as possible, keep away communication gadgets and other radiation-emitting devices that could affect the signal analysis processed by the AED. This is to minimize risks on the accuracy of the device. Once an AED comes up with an erroneous result, there is a possibility that the use of the device is not effective or in worst case, could worsen the condition of the sufferer or cause accident to the user. That’s why it is also advisable to choose an AED model that has protection against external EM radiations.

• Ask Help from a Medical Expert If Possible – before emergency calls, it would be best to consult a physician who is knowledgeable enough on the proper use of the specific AED model to clarify certain things.

For further helpful tips on safe and proper use of AED, you can go for an AED Program Management and AED Medical Oversight training course offered by Citywide CPR. Visit their official website now and find out what makes this training course so important. Start your AED Program Management and AED Medical Oversight training now and find your way to become an effective lifesaver!

When the heart stops beating, the brain tissues eventually die and so death occurs. That’s how crucial the heart is for the human body. The problem usually arrives from malfunction or stoppage of heartbeat, which results to failure to deliver blood to different organs of the body, including the brain. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of automated external defibrillator (AED) are among the prescribed first aid practices for such life-threatening situation. Here are some of the common emergency cases where application of CPR and AED are highly required:

• Attack of a Heart Disease – sudden cardiac disease, heart attack, and other deadly heart diseases are among the most common causes of deaths in the US as well as in several other countries around the world. These are generally triggered by clogged blood vessels, abnormalities in the heart muscle and tubes, or high blood pressure (hypertension). Obesity, type-2 diabetes, and inflammation of muscle tissues such as gums could also result or contribute to a certain heart disease.

• Physical Injury – any injury that involves intense mechanical impact to the human body could extremely affect the heart and result to its malfunctioning. In some cases, dislocation and suppression of blood vessels cause the problem. There are also several cases where blood circulation is due to blocked airway resulted by the injury. Usually, the person’s pulse is used as indicator that he is still alive and his heart rhythm could be recovered through CPR and the use of AED.

• Drowning – when a person gets drowned, water enters his airway and causes malfunction in his cardiorespiratory system. That’s why he can’t breathe and his heart stops beating. As an immediate response to a drowning victim, CPR is best done with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to pump out the water taken inside his body.

• Drug Overdose – excessive intake of drugs, especially non-prescribed ones, are harmful to the cardiovascular system of the body. It could result to rapid development of abnormalities in the heart, blood vessels, and even in the respiratory organs. When this happens, the sufferer can’t breathe normally and his heart rhythm changes drastically.

• Suffocation – just like drowning, inability to breathe due to suffocation causes the heart to stop working. This could happen when an enclosed room where there is limited oxygen or where there is smoke or any harmful gas. Actually, just covering a person’s head with a plastic bag could lose his breathing and so suffocation takes place.

• Electric Shock – ventricular fibrillation is just one of the reasons why the heart stops functioning. Aside from the occurrence of a heart disease, this could take place when a person gets electric shocked at an intense level, making the heart loses its normal rhythm. To recover normal heartbeat, a particular amount of electric energy could be applied also with the use of an AED.

Get to know more about CPR and AED at citywidecpr.com. You can opt for an extensive CPR training at Citywide CPR if you want to become prepared enough against the said between-life-and-death scenarios. Just visit their website to get a glimpse of the CPR training they offer.