SCA or sudden cardiac arrest is a major debilitating disease that has a very high mortality rate and has only a small margin of revival before a person succumbs to it. SCA is a heart problem, although there are other factors that could lead to the development of the disease.

Before a Cardiac Arrest

One of the reasons why cardiac arrest claims so many lives every year is the lack of noticeable symptoms that it should exhibit. One minute, and individual can go from walking around or doing any normal activity, another minute they hit the floor. Even the individual may not know what is happening until it is too late.

There are instances however, when people feel a persistent pain in their chest. This is caused by the heart undergoing erratic behavior and receiving electric signals ha make the pumping irregular. This is considered as the onset of ventricular fibrillation. This means that the heart is pumping in irregular rhythms, leading to a cessation of function. With the heart stopping due to electrical signals malfunctioning, there are ways in which the problem can be reversed.

During a Cardiac Arrest

During a cardiac arrest, it is important that people within the immediate vicinity be alert and able to act quickly. One of the primary aspects of a successful revival of a sudden cardiac arrest patient is the quick response such as performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation and using an automatic external defibrillator. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation helps keep the patient’s body alive for a higher chance of revival, while an automatic external defibrillator can help in giving a surge of electricity that could potentially restore the normal flow of electric signals. With restored rhythm, there is a chance that the return of sudden circulation can happen. This may or may not bring back the consciousness of the patient. It is important that emergency services are contacted immediately before performing CPR or using an AED in a patient.

After a Cardiac Arrest

There are a lot of possible outcomes from a cardiac arrest, and it is affected by a lot of factors. The speed of action for first aid and advanced life support play major roles. The worst possible outcome is the failure of revival of the sudden cardiac arrest patient. Other outcomes can be partial revival, meaning the patient is alive but unconscious, or the patient can be fully revived with consciousness. Other than the three, there are also other complications such as weakened physical state, an affected mental state, or injuries caused by consequences of the cardiac arrest or because of the intensity of CPR done. Either way, after cardiac arrest, there will be treatments to keep the body alive for the unconscious, or therapy for those that would require recuperation from physical injuries.

Whatever the case may be, everyone should be involved in helping people undergoing SCA. More people mobilizing to save an individual’s life is sure to help reduce the frightening statistics that sudden cardiac arrest poses for citizens of the country. From CPR training to having an AED, these simple things can be great tools in the time of need.

There are three main aspects of a successful CPR to always keep in mind. These are speed, force, and rate. Keeping in mind these three can be the key in saving the life of someone who has had cardiac arrest. A clear mind is always important when it comes to dealing with a cardiac arrest event as it happens.

The mind is the most important thing emergency responders, even bystanders, must hone in the event of a person suffering cardiac arrest within the proximity. There have been cases where panic-stricken people were left unable to help the people experiencing cardiac arrest, diminishing the chances of revival completely. This is what training for CPR is a necessary thing to undergo, as it not only teaches the skills to use in the event of cardiac arrest, it also teaches responders how to be able to deal with an event like this.

One of the most important skill that responders will learn during training is establishing a chain of command starting from themselves. As the one that is going to administer CPR, the responder is the one with the calmest mind and can command others to provide assistance. It is important that tasks should be given to specific people and not to a crowd, as crowd mentality would think that someone ese would do the given task anyway. If everyone thought like this, then no one would. Calling emergency services is the first thing to do which must be tasked to a specific person in a crowd is possible, or by the responder themselves if there are no one else available.

After calling for emergency services, compressions must be done immediately. Every minute not doing compressions will drop the survival rate by ten percent. At four minutes, the person can be declared brain dead due to lack of oxygen-delivering blood to the brain. This does not necessarily mean that performing mouth-to-mouth is important, as some responders are not inclined to do the act. Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation has been deemed as optional for those who are not trained to perform CPR. Trained people, can however, compressions are always top priority. Thanks to the speed of action, the chances of survival has increased.

For compressions to be successful, there should be proper force and rate of pumping. Without it, the compressions are rendered useless. The speed in which the responder could be for naught. Compressions should not be weak. Fearing that the ribs may break is pointless as the patient is technically dead as of the moment. If the price of being brought back to life is a rib, then I think it is a price that most people are willing to pay. Rate should come regularly as well. Compressions done too slow or too erratically is pointless as the flow of blood to other parts of the body is the same.

Keeping note of the three aspects for successfully keeping a cardiac arrest patient’s survival high is a necessity with today’s increasing mortality rates due to cardiac arrest. Do your part and learn CPR today.

An automatic external defibrillator has become one of the most common items to be seen in most hospitals, medical facilities, and public places. And it is there for good reason! An automatic external defibrillator, or an AED, is a device that can help deal with certain types of cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrests occur when there is a scramble with the electric signals being sent out by the heart. This in turn gets the heart pumping irregularly and eventually stops. There are two types of cardiac arrests – shockable and non-shockable. Shockable cardiac arrests are once that stop the heart best because the electric signals disappear as well. Non-shockable cardiac arrests mean that defibrillation will not help at all. An AED is able to determine I the cardiac arrest happening is shockable or non-shockable as it can detect electric signals in the heart. Upon detecting the lack of electric signals, a shock is delivered, which hopefully restarts the heart.

There are a lot of private establishments that still do not carry an AED. Although there are regulations in all states regarding the ownership of an AED especially for establishments, it is not mandated, but merely encouraged. This is why people tend to cut costs and not purchase an AED at all. An AED is a worthy investment.

For those thinking that not buying an AED is saving them money, then think again.  The American Red Cross estimates upwards of 1.3 million dollars’ worth of direct and indirect costs. This just shows that an AED is much more affordable, and with the risk for sudden cardiac arrest in this country increasing, it is safe to assume that an AED will be of great help anytime.

As said before, sudden cardiac arrest has increased and has become the leading cause of death in the country. These arrests can happen anywhere: at home, school, or within any establishment. This is why having an AED within yours is a good safety precaution.

An AED is a good way of supplementing the waiting period before paramedics arrive. Having first aid ready can increase the leeway for the paramedics and emergency life support services before arrival. With only ten minutes as the period where the body can be revived, every possible way of increasing this time is much welcomed.

When establishment owners think that they will never even need an AED, that is a huge mistake. Out of all the establishments that have bought an AED, a third has used it out of necessity – saving the life of an individual.

With these reasons, there is no question about the importance of an AED within an establishment. By investing in an AED and learning how to use it properly, as well as implementing other first aid programs, it can create a safe environment for those susceptible to sudden cardiac arrest. A combined effort to do so can create a great environment for those that may be experiencing this problem is the duty of everyone, so go ahead and invest in a proper AED and first aid training.

In cardiopulmonary resuscitation, getting the right beat is important. The human heart has an average number of beats, and this allows the blood to be effectively pumped all throughout the body. All areas of the body require constant blood supply or else they might fail and suffer. It is a known fact that if the heart stops, there is only very little time before the rest of the body ceases to function as well. This is because the blood that flows through the body carries oxygen, the fuel that powers every single cell in our entire body. This is why CPR exists.

Function of CPR

CPR exists so that even if the heart ceases its normal function, external forces can be applied so that the blood keeps flowing. CPR uses force pressed upon the chest of a person who has suffered from cardiac arrest so that the heart is compressed, keeping the blood flowing. The heart works by compressing and returning to its original position repeatedly, and at a very fast pace. The circulatory system of the body works hand in hand with the respiratory system so that deoxygenated blood can be ‘restocked’ and then used again to deliver oxygen to different parts of the body.

Following the Beat

The heart beats very fast, upwards of 100 per minute. For CPR to be effective, the person administering CPR should be able to compress the chest area at the same rate, and at regular intervals too. This can be done by following the beat of the song ‘Staying Alive’. This is a well-known fact and is one that hold true up to this day. Getting the beat faster is acceptable, but getting much too slow can prove the effort for CPR ineffective in the end. What is important is that the person administering CPR can balance speed and force so that the chest compressions delivered contain enough force to compress the heart itself, while maintaining a steady speed. This procedure may be draining to the stamina of the person trying to help, but it is important to carry on until advanced life support arrives for the patient.

Changes in the Procedure

As mentioned earlier, the importance of blood flow is the oxygen that it delivers to other parts of the body. If cardiac arrest occurs there is still plenty amount of oxygen in the lungs which the blood will be able to take and deliver. This is why there has been a change in the steps in the procedure for CPR. Before, it was important to clear the airway first, then perform breathing into the person, and finally doing compressions. Now, compressions have taken the forefront of the procedure, followed only by the optional fixing of the airway and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. The second two has become optional because it has been seen to be ineffective when done by the untrained. Trained people are more than welcome to perform CPR with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation so that oxygen can be replenished.

All these information can be learned in-depth by attending a CPR training course, and getting certified while doing so can help a person who may need it, if the time arises.

It is the best ending if a victim of sudden cardiac arrest is revived. Movies often show this fateful event as someone gasping for breath as soon as they awake. This just shows how amazing the event is for anyone involved. A person that has been performing CPR will feel success, the biggest kind, in saving the life of someone. It may be a stranger, or it can be a close friend, or family. No matter who it is, getting back the life which was almost life is an impactful event for anyone.

Treatments and Examinations

What is not seen in most dramatization is what happens after being revived. A person that has suffered cardiac arrest and was revived has a lot of things to deal with after. Some of these things can be due to the cause of cardiac arrest, some due to the event itself. When cardiac arrest occurs, it brings to light a slew of problems in the health of the patient. This is why there are a lot of treatments to undergo after cardiac arrest.

A lot of examinations is done to the patient of the body to find the underlying cause of the arrest. It can be due to family history, diabetes, hypertension, or anything within the spectrum of sudden cardiac arrest causes. After examinations, most underlying causes can be found. Treatments for these causes will begin to prevent further instances of sudden cardiac arrest.

Physical Injury

During a cardiac arrest, there are a lot of accidents that can occur. It all depends on the location of the arrest. There are many instances of cardiac arrest while driving, while in an incline, or somewhere isolated. Accidents may occur in these locations as well as the initial fall after losing consciousness as a result of sudden cardiac arrest. This may require additional treatments and therapy after being revived.

During cardiopulmonary resuscitation, there may be too much intensity that ribs can fracture due to the pressure and force being exerted towards pumping. Although this is normal and easily treatable, it is still an injury to take note of. Even trained and certified people to perform CPR can break ribs, but what are a few broken ribs in exchange for the life of a person?

Mental Impact

Surviving from cardiac arrest is a great ordeal to overcome, and it may leave lasting impressions on victims. This is why after sudden cardiac arrest occurs, visiting the shrink can be a common thing for the patient to do. No matter how strong the mentality of a person may be, life and death situations activate primal fear, and as sudden cardiac arrest allows neither fight nor flight, it affects the mentality of most people immensely.

Getting support from loved ones can help in dealing with all the effects of surviving sudden cardiac arrest, and no matter how cliché it may be, keeping the person feeling loved and happy is the best way to support them in these trying times after recovering from sudden cardiac arrest.

Cardiac arrest has become a commonplace cause of death of a large number of people in the country. It can strike anytime, anywhere, and anyone who is living a sedentary lifestyle is in danger. There have been a lot of instances of sudden cardiac arrest in public places, and thankfully, these places had come equipped with portable defibrillators and people skilled with cardiopulmonary resuscitation were present as well. Thanks to the equipment and the quick response, those who suffered from sudden cardiac arrest were given a second chance in life.

The Second Chance

Being revived from cardiac arrest may come at a price, but it is a price that most people are willing to pay. Between choosing death or life with some penalties, life seems to be a much better option. People who have been revived can get back to their lives like nothing happened, only if first aid and resuscitation is done on minute zero. Every minute that passes can decrease the chances of revival, but with the use of CPR and with shocks from an AED, the chances can remain favorable.

Given a second chance, some people do carry effects from the sudden cardiac arrest. Those who have survived have reported a lot of effects, some physical, some mental.

Physical effects of sudden cardiac arrest may be staggering at first. There are a lot of people that needed hospital confinement for a long time. Others also required therapy and long term recuperation. One of the most common physical effects of cardiac arrest is broken ribs. This is because during CPR, a lot of force is needed when delivering compressions. This means that there are a lot of chances for ribs to break during the process. Broken ribs are much better than not being able to get a second chance.

For those administering CPR, even if the ribs are broken, there are no repercussions even when damage is done to a victim of sudden cardiac arrest. This is because any and all attempts in revival is covered by Good Samaritan laws in all states.

Mental effects of sudden cardiac arrest are more unrecognizable, but the dangers are still present. One of the most common effects of sudden cardiac arrest on a victim after successful revival is depression. Depression may be caused by other extraneous factors such as financial problems due to the costs of healthcare. Patients also develop a lingering sense of fear due to the events that have happened. Other than the fear and the depression, a lot of negative things can happen. Cardiac arrest can be a very debilitating disease both physically and mentally, but with the support of good people around the victims, recuperation and further healing is possible.

Revived cardiac arrest patients, being given a second chance to live again, may require a lot of medical attention, as well as loving and being surrounded with people that care. With these things, getting the patients back into good health may be a task, but it is a task worth doing.

Pulseless electrical activity, shortened to PEA, is a form of cardiac arrest where the heart completely stops and loses all electrical activity. This is quite different from the normal sudden cardiac arrest. The usual sudden cardiac arrest has traces of erratic electric signals which causes ventricular fibrillation or arrhythmia. These traces of electric signals allow for the use of defibrillation. Defibrillation is the use of external electric currents to stimulate the remaining electrical signals in the heart of a sudden cardiac arrest victim. This is why if using a defibrillator is not possible, calling emergency services for advanced life support and performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation can potentially save the life of someone with PEA cardiac arrest.

PEA and AED

Pulseless electrical activity does not allow the use of an automatic external defibrillator due to the lack of electric signals. An AED is a smaller version of hospital defibrillators and these smaller defibrillators can be used by anyone who is able to understand words and diagrams written on the display of the AED. Even if AED is insufficient, it is still important that establishments have it because it is very effective for those that have electric signals still in their heart.

PEA and CPR

Victims of PEA cardiac arrest should still have CPR performed on them as advanced life support can still find a way to save them. Not performing CPR truly cements the status of the victim as deceased. This is why CPR is a recommended training course for every citizen as it allows people to revive other individuals on a great number of occasions. Although minimizing the instances of these occasions with the help of changing lifestyles and choosing better nutrition can help, being alert and prepared all the time for these instances should always be considered.

PEA and Beta Blockers

Pulseless electrical activity as a cause of cardiac arrest has been getting more common, and studies claim the increase in beta blocker use has been a cause. Beta blockers are prescription medicine for those suffering from weak hearts and hypertension. Although beta blockers are effective against hypertension and other diseases that could lead to a heart attack, there are still some questions as to the effect of beta blockers to pulseless electrical activity.

It is important that people learn about pulseless electrical activity and how to deal with it so that more people can be revived and given a second chance to restore a healthy lifestyle. People should find out about ways and treatments such as nearby AED locations in their most frequented establishments. Establishment owners should invest in an AED to help those with types of cardiac arrest that can be revived. Finally, every able-bodied citizen should learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This can be done by attending a lesson in a school, learning online, with the possibility of getting certified.  By doing this, anyone can help a person that has collapsed and has no breathing or pulse. Every single life is important, so invest in these ways soon and save a life.

During a cardiac arrest, there are a lot of things that can happen to a patient. This is an effect of the sudden loss of heart function as well as loss of consciousness. This leads to a lot of accidents on top of the cardiac arrest itself. It is important that people who are experiencing warning signs for cardiac arrest be wary of the possible consequences so as not to endanger others as well.

Keeping Close Company

One of the most important thing that a person who might be susceptible to sudden cardiac arrest should do is to keep company. Being close to people can be helpful if the most unfortunate event – sudden cardiac arrest – occurs. With people around, many can help call emergency services, as well as perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use an automatic external defibrillator on the patient. This is why people should learn CPR and establishments should have an updated AED. Saving the life of an individual is always worth every penny and effort given.

Avoid Driving

One of the things that people who might experience sudden cardiac arrest is to operate heavy machinery. Driving a car can be counted as operating heavy machinery, and if the unfortunate happens, the car may be speeding down the freeway when cardiac arrest occurs, affecting others as well and making revival complicated. When deemed susceptible, it is best to have someone else manage the driving while the individual rests.

Avoid High Places

Another thing that susceptible SCA patients should avoid is going up high places such as stairs, ladders. It is better to be safe and fall unconscious onto a flat surface rather than fall from a high place. Although going through these places may be inevitable, it is always best to be surrounded with people who can assist you even while unconscious.

Avoid Being Along with Incapable Individuals

Finally, a person who is susceptible to SCA should not volunteer to look after other people’s pets or children. This is because there may be a chance that it happens during the duty and what is left behind may be affected without others supervising. It is always best to be careful when it comes to these situations and inform the people asking you to take care of their pets or children of your condition.

From all these, the most important thing that a person susceptible to SCA should do is to keep surrounded and tell others immediately of the condition. This is so that the people keeping company can be prepared for whatever may happen to the person. It is the duty of the individual susceptible to SCA to inform others. The other people then has a civic duty to know CPR and be able to locate and use the CPR as well as contacting emergency services. Although this may be counted as being overprotective, nothing is too much when it comes to the life of a human being. With more and more people succumbing to sudden cardiac arrest as reflected by recent statistics by the American Heart Association, just attending a CPR certification training, even without anyone within your circle susceptible to sudden cardiac arrest, can greatly help someone in need.

Time is the biggest factor when it comes to helping a cardiac arrest patient. Every year, there are more than a quarter million people that die from sudden cardiac arrest in the country. This means that cardiac arrest kills a person every two minutes, an alarming rate compared to other major diseases such as cancer. This is why a lot of information is circulated so that citizens can further understand what sudden cardiac arrest is, its symptoms, and ways to respond in the event of sudden cardiac arrest within proximity.

What is Cardiac Arrest?

Cardiac arrest is the sudden cessation of function of the heart muscles due to electric signals in the hear malfunctioning. The signals in disarray cause irregular heartbeats, which can turn deadly if ignored. Cardiac arrest can claim the life of an individual within 10 minutes if not provided with proper first aid and advanced life support. This is because as soon as the heart stops pumping blood, the cells who require the oxygen delivered by blood start to enter a state of non-function, which spells death for the individual.

What are the Symptoms?

Cardiac arrest can happen without any symptoms, but if symptoms show up, it can be mistaken for other, lighter problems. One of the most common symptoms is chest pain that persists. It may be a small dull pain but it can last for days. Sudden cardiac arrest can also be accompanied by general physical weakness. Shortness of breath is also one symptom, as it Other victims report experiencing a looming sense of dread before they feel suddenly under cardiac arrest. The time that symptoms appear can be as little as minutes or even days before sudden cardiac arrest occurs.

With the vague symptoms that may be ignored by some, it is understandable how sudden cardiac arrest can claim so many lives. If you experience these symptoms, think back to your lifestyle, if anything can cause weakened heart muscles. Those who have suffered a heart attack are at a higher risk for sudden cardiac arrest as the heart muscles have already been weakened.

How to Respond to SCA Victims?

When witnessing sudden cardiac arrest happening within proximity, there are certain procedures to follow to increase the chances of helping the victim. The most important thing is to call 9-1-1 immediately, as emergency services will be able to help calm down the responder if untrained. Calling emergency services can provide a responder with information on how to perform CPR and use an AED if one is available nearby.

Time is very important when responding. The brain will die within four minutes of sudden cardiac arrest due to the lack of oxygen supply that should be delivered by the blood. If there is a responder that can perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, then the brain can be saved, as well as the patient. CPR does not always guarantee the survival of the person, and the same goes with using an automatic external defibrillator, but every action taken can potentially save the life of someone.

There is a medical equipment which is quite known for its use in shows and video games called a defibrillator. The defibrillator is known as a large piece of equipment that is wheeled into a room of a patient undergoing cardiac arrest. It is then used to shock the patient to restore the regular rhythm of a patient’s heartbeat.

Cardiac arrest is the illness which claims lives of almost 400,000 lives every year and rising. This is one of the most serious causes of death, which can sometimes go undetected, until it is too late. There are a lot of ways in which cardiac arrest causes death, but the most common is the lack of oxygen in the brain. When cardiac arrest happens, there is a very small leeway before things turn for the worse. Only four minutes without oxygen supply to the brain can cause the victim to enter a vegetative state, and further lack of first aid in under 10 minutes can cause irreversible death. A calm mind is important in dealing with the possibility of someone experiencing cardiac arrest near you. By reacting immediately and providing necessary revival techniques while keeping the time requirement in mind, 4 minutes will be enough time to support the victim, until life support arrives. Every second is critical, so act while thinking fast.

Some of the most plausible treatments that a bystander can do for those suffering from sudden cardiac arrest within 10 minutes is CPR and using an AED. CPR is the shortened form of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This is a famous maneuver that is done by someone to a victim through the use of chest compressions, and optional mouth resuscitation. Chest compressions are done so that the heart is squeezed and blood continues to flow. Mouth resuscitation supplies the lungs with oxygen that the blood can carry around.

The AED, or the automatic external defibrillator, is the smaller and more portable version of the famous defibrillator. This equipment is mostly seen in movies and TV shows as a plot device that can help people be revived easily. This is not true however, as AED has an average success rate in revival. This is only meant to tide over the person until advanced life support arrives. These actions taken quickly can eventually save the life of a sudden cardiac arrest victim.

This are the two quickest treatments that can be done by bystanders that have not been trained. For those interested in training for administering CPR or using an AED, there are a lot of training centers that will gladly accommodate. Being trained not only increases the chances of success in reviving a sudden cardiac arrest victim, it is also a great badge to signify love for humanity and your dedication to fulfilling your civic duty of helping any and all humans that need helping. Being ready for emergency situations can just save the life of someone, so training for it is a necessary good. Any and all actions taken to help someone must be inherently good and humane.