Everyone has heard of blood pressure – the force of the blood flowing through your blood vessels. While there are cases of low blood pressure, or hypotension, high blood pressure, or hypertension, has been a greater bane to man since time immemorial. In fact, in the US alone, about 80 million suffer from it. Of course, the best way to know if you are one of those statistics is to have your blood pressure taken.

Blood Pressure Category

Medically speaking, there are five (5) categories of blood pressure:

• Normal
• Prehypertension
• Hypertension Stage 1
• Hypertension Stage 2
• Hypertensive Crisis

In the normal stage, blood pressure is no more than 120/80. At the pre-hypertension stage, the reading is typically no more than 139/89 but not lower than 120/80. When the blood pressure reaches 140/90 to 159/99, this is already considered as Hypertension Stage 1. Anything higher than that is what is medically considered as Hypertension Stage 2. Now, when the blood pressure reading already exceeds 180/110, that is already considered as a hypertensive crisis and would require an immediate visit to the ER.

Understanding Numbers

You might have noticed that your blood pressure is composed of two sets of numbers. These numbers are called the systole and the diastole. Systole is the term used to denote the upper number. It refers to the pressure that your blood makes against the artery wall when your heart is beating. On the other hand, Diastole, the lower number, refers to the pressure that your blood makes against the artery wall when it is on rest. Generally, medical professionals pay more attention to the systole particularly for those who are 50 years of age or older. This is because the systole typically increases as one ages. This comes about due to the build up of plaque around the walls of the blood vessels as well as the stiffening of the latter.

Resistant and Pulmonary Hypertension

In some cases, even if you have made certain lifestyle changes, your blood pressure does not seem to move down. This is typically what is known as a Resistant Hypertension. This can be quite complicated to deal with and is usually a symptom of an even more serious medical condition. In most cases, people who have resistant hypertension also have the following:

• Abnormal level in the hormones that control the blood pressure
• The presence of renal artery stenosis
• Presence of obstructive sleep apnea
• Obesity

On the other hand, there are some people who suffer from Pulmonary Hypertension. As the name implies, this happens in the heart-to-lung system delivery where the oxygenated blood is processed. It is typically lower than a systemic blood pressure. Some of the common signs that you might have pulmonary hypertension would include:

• Shortness of breath even during routine activities
• Chest Pain
• Fatigue
• Low Appetite
• Racing heartbeat
• Swelling of the ankles and legs
• Fainting

Now, you have to keep in mind that hypertension, particularly Pulmonary Hypertension, can start and progress with very little signs and symptoms. That being said, and coupled with the fact that hypertension can lead to heart attack, having an AED unit at home can prove to be more than valuable.

One of the most common signs that you are about to have a massive heart attack. As common as it is, however, not many people understand what it is all about. For one, angina is typically used to describe a heart condition that involves extreme chest pain spreading to the extremities. This typically happens when there is insufficient supply of oxygen to the heart. Now, the latter, in turn, is caused by the narrowing of the arteries due to a build up of plaque.

What are the Different Types of Angina?

One type of Angina is known as the Prinzmetal angina. It involves temporary spasm of the coronary artery which leads to a decrease in the supply of blood flow to a certain area of the heart. Another type of angina is what is known as the Microvascular Angina. In this type of Angina, it is the smaller arteries that are affected instead of the bigger ones; thus, the name. A variant of the microvascular angina is known as the Syndrome X cardiac disease. In this type, the decrease in the supply of blood is not caused by vasospasm seen in Prinzmetal angina.

Causes of Angina

Aside from the narrowing of the blood vessels, another cause of angina is hypertension. The continuous pressure brought about by the pumping can prove to be too much for your heart. Conditions such as anemia and poisoning can also lead to angina in the same way as hyperthyroidism and stress.

Signs and Symptoms of Angina

The most common sign of angina is a squeezing pain in the chest that radiates to the arms, neck and jaw. It is oftentimes accompanied by shortness of breath and sweating. Generally, strenuous activities can make the angina worse. In some cases, a person suffering from angina might complain of indigestion and heartburn combined with shortness of breath, weakness, and nausea.

Now, you have to keep in mind that an angina could either be stable or unstable. In the case of the former, the angina lasts for a few seconds only, and typically feels like indigestion. On the other hand, an unstable angina can be more complicated. For one, it can come without a warning. This is aside from the fact that it cannot be treated with resting or taking nitroglycerin. In most cases, however, it can occur while one is sleeping and would typically last longer than a stable angina. What makes it even more serious is the fact that it can lead to a heart attack. That being the case, it is best to keep an AED handy.

There are a number of ways by which an unstable angina can be dealt with. This would include the use of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention or Coronary Artery Bypass Graft. In the case of the former, cardiac catheterization would be done. The catheter typically comes with an inflatable balloon at the tip in order to open up the fatty plaque deposit along the coronary walls. On the other hand, Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery makes use of a blood vessel in order to re-route the blood and bypass the area where there is a blockage.

Also known as a Ischemic Heart Disease, the Coronary Heart Disease is considered to be one of the most common cardiovascular conditions. It is a generic term that covers a whole number of heart conditions including stable angina, unstable angina, myocardial infaction, and sudden cardiac arrest. This heart ailment typically comes about as a result of the narrowing of the blood vessels, which in turn is a result of the buildup of plaque along the walls of the said blood vessels. While many people are aware that the hardened plaque can narrow the path where the blood flows, very few are aware that the same can cause the blood vessels to rupture. When this happens, a blood clot occurs along the surface, completely blocking off the blood from reaching the heart. This, then, leads to a massive heart attack.

Who is At Risk?

As with most heart ailments, those who have a high risk for developing Coronary Heart Diseases would include individuals that have high levels of LDL cholesterol as well as high blood pressure. The risk for Coronary Heart Disease increases even more for individuals who are regular smokers as well as those who are overweight or have diabetes. The elderly as well as those who do not lead an active lifestyle and do not watch what they eat are also at risk for developing Coronary Heart Disease.

Of late, researches have also shown that such factors as the presence of a thyroid problem, constant stress, high levels of C-reactive protein, and sleep apnea may also increase the likelihood of Coronary Heart Disease.

Dealing with CHD

Most CHD treatment options focus on lowering the formation of blood clots, relieving the symptoms, and reversing the buildup of plaque. That said, some of the common treatment modalities would include:

• Healthy Diet and Lifestyle Change

Watching what you eat may sound cliche but by making sure that you include such food items as fish high in Omega-3 fatty acids as well as fruits and legumes, you are actually lowering your risk for developing and suffering from a number of coronary heart diseases. While you’re at it, consider also cutting back on the number of sticks you smoke in the day as well as monitoring your Body Mass Index.

• Managing Stress

An emotionally charged event is typically one of the common reasons for a heart attack. That being the case, if you are feeling the pressure of the daily grind of your work or of your life, consider enrolling in a stress management program. It also helps to do some meditation and relaxation activities. Studies have also shown that talking it out with family and friends can help lower the stress that you are feeling.

• Physical Activities

Moderately intense aerobic exercises have been shown to be quite effective when dealing with hypertension and excess weight. If a regular exercise regimen at the gym sounds challenging for you, you can start with small activities like brisk walking. You need to make sure, however, that you talk first to your doctor before engaging in anything.

It is also a good idea to have an AED on hand should the situation become worst. Aside from this, knowing how to administer CPR can also help ensure that CHD does not result to death.

A sudden halt in the heart’s normal beating pattern typically results to what is known as Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). Although typically used interchangeably with heart attack, the two conditions are not the same, with SCA typically comes as a result of a problem in the electrical impulses related to the heart beat. Heart attack, on the other hand, typically comes as a result of a blockage in the blood vessels. If not treated immediately, it can ultimately lead to death. One of the most common causes of SCA is what is known as the Long QT Syndrome, or LQTS.

What is a Long QT Syndrome?

The heart makes use of electrical impulses in order to moderate its beating pattern. This electrical cycle is measured in terms of what is known as a QT interval – the time between the start of the Q wave and the end of the T Wave. In the case of a Long QT Syndrome, the interval is longer than usual, typically indicating a delay between the depolarization and repolarization of the heart. This prolongation, though typical, is not always visible in all LQTS patients.

Those with LQTS typically suffer from bouts of bouts of seizures and arrhythmias, or an irregular heartbeat. This is aside from palpitations and dizziness prior to onset of other conditions. Keep in mind that this condition is typically hereditary. There are, however, cases where LQTS comes about as a result of certain medications such as diuretics, antihistamine, antibiotics, and antidepressants. Severe diarrhea and vomiting, which can cause dehydration and, ultimately, a reduced level of potassium, can also lead to a Long QT Syndrome.

There are currently seven different types of LQTS. Of these, however, the most common ones are LQTS 1, 2 and 3. In LQTS 1, emotional stress can already trigger arrhythmia. LQTS 2, on the other hand, typically comes as a result of shock or other extreme emotions. In LQTS 3, a slowed heart rate, such as when you are asleep, can bring about an irregular heartbeat pattern.

Dealing with LQTS

According to researches and studies, those who have undiagnosed and untreated hereditary LQTS can die within 10 years. That said, most medical professionals agree that the best way to handle this is with beta blocker medication. It is also recommended to watch what you eat and ensure that you do not live a sedentary life. Aside from this, the following can also help:

• Adding white beans and baked potatoes with skin to your diet. Both are considered to be top sources of potassium
• Considering the use of pacemakers in order to keep the beating pattern within normal range
• Keeping away from strenuous activities

An immediate way to help LQTS patients who are having an SCA would be to administer AED, or Automated External Defibrillator. An AED is a portable device that can help jumpstart a heart’s beating pattern should it suddenly come to a stop. Depending on the model, an AED could come with voice prompts that can guide the user during emergency cases.

For most people, SCA can mean a death sentence. After all, SCA, or Sudden Cardiac Arrest, means something causes your heart to abruptly stop beating. This, consequently, means that blood to other major organs are abruptly put to a stop. If left untreated for a couple of minutes, it can lead to death. For those who survived the ordeal, however, the risk for a second attack is increased. Fortunately, there is a way to lower such risk.

At-Risk Situations

While SCA can happen to anyone, certain groups of people tend to have a higher risk for the said condition. This would include those who:

• Have had a previous case of SCA
• Those have sedentary lives
• Those who have had heart problems

According to researches, those who have had SCA in the past but have had an ICD, or Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator, in place, are at lesser risk for a repeat of the condition. The implant is typically placed under the skin near the chest area. What this device does is monitor heartbeat. In case there is an abnormality in the pattern, it sends out electrical impulses that shocks the heart muscle in order to get it back to its normal rhythm. Now, you have to keep in mind, however, that an ICD and a pacemaker are two different implants; however, some ICD models already come with a pacemaker. The main difference between the two is the fact that ICDs are triggered only when there is a cessation in the beating pattern while a pacemaker ensures that the beats are according to a certain rhythm.

Now, living a sedentary life can give rise to a number of medical conditions concerning one’s heart. This could include diabetes, hypertension, and coronary heart diseases. That being the case, some of your options would include making sure that you follow your doctor’s advice as far as medications are concerned. These medications are typically aimed at addressing your particular condition. That said, you would probably have a medication for your hypertension, a medication to prevent blood clots, and a medication to reduce your heart’s workload. In the case of diabetes, your doctor would most likely prescribe what kind of food you can and cannot eat. In the same manner, you would also be provided with insulin shots in order to manage your blood sugar level. On the other hand, if you have CHD (Coronary Heart Disease), one of the options that would be presented to you would include percutaneous coronary intervention. This procedure is more commonly known as angioplasty and has been proven to lower the risk for an SCA if you are already suffering from CHD.

Healthy Lifestyle

At the end of the day, the best way to ensure that you would not be going unconscious and needing a CPR would be to live a healthy lifestyle. This does not mean you have to eat bland food. In some cases, this would just mean taking everything in moderation. It also pays to exercise on a regular basis and ensure that you do not stress yourself out too much.

Cardiac arrest is a sudden disease that strikes individuals that have been living a sedentary lifestyle. It comes in the most unexpected places, and the most inopportune times. Without quick treatment, cardiac arrest will claim the life of the individual. Cardiac arrest has become the worst disease to claim the lives of individuals. With very minimal symptoms, or with signs showing themselves much too late, the only way to deal with it is through quick treatment and proper recuperation and support.

Treatments

Treatments for sudden cardiac arrest must be quick. In 4 minutes, irreversible brain damage happens and in ten minutes, no form of revival, no matter how advanced can help in bringing back the victim. This is why there are a lot of precautionary measures that is known to people. One of these measures is cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR. This is a skill that can be learned by anyone willing enough to undergo training. Calling emergency services is important, as for those that are not trained, emergency services can instruct the person on rudimentary CPR for the victim.

There are also publicly available defibrillators which can be used to further increase the chances of revival of the sudden cardiac arrest victim. These defibrillators are very easy to use and do not need specialized training to be effective. The only requirement is knowing where to put the pads which can be indicate by the defibrillator in its storage. After that, the defibrillator automatically determines if there is a need for shocking of a person.

Recuperation

Recuperation involves the use of numerous techniques based on the need of the patient. This can involve physical therapy for those that may have suffered from mobility problems after recuperation.  For those who may feel weak, sufficient diet and proper rest can help. Physical therapy is mostly needed when there are injuries as well, perhaps a bad fall during the arrest, or subsequent consequences due to the arrest. Either way, physical therapy is a growing branch of medicine and can prove to be a great help in the future for cardiac arrest patients.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia is a disease caused by being exposed to extremely low temperatures. When it comes to sudden cardiac arrest however, inducing hypothermia in a person is a great therapy. This type of therapy is done for patients of sudden cardiac arrest that has been revived although have not woken up from sleep yet. This is a way of preserving the body while the heart is on low activity. With the heart pumping weaker than usual, the body may still have inadequate supply of oxygen, causing it to deteriorate. The controlled temperature, especially the cold, can help in preserving the organs and keeping their activity low. With lowered activity, they would not be needing more oxygen, so that the heart can keep up.

With cardiac arrest becoming a very serious problem, more research has been done, leading to the discovery of more ways of treatment. With more people being aware of these treatments and procedures, the chances of saving someone who is suffering from sudden cardiac arrest can be increased, giving the individual another chance in changing his lifestyle. The change in lifestyle shall be for better health, and for lowering the risks of suffering another cardiac arrest.

Most people would not care about the history of sudden cardiac arrest and the ways people have tried treating it, but it doesn’t hurt to know, and it comes off as a very interesting fact to share. There is a certain eccentricity when it comes to the different old age treatments for sudden cardiac arrest. Well, being faced with a situation such as cardiac arrest, people would have thought of treatments in a different light then.

Historical documentaries have shown that there are some very weird treatments for CPR. One treatment included the procedure of rubbing certain rough cloths as well as use some mixtures involving liquor to rub on the person under cardiac arrest. This sounds more like a thanksgiving recipe more than anything else. There are also treatments that included blowing smoke from a pipe to the mouth of a victim. This was a precursor for the implementation of mouth to mouth resuscitation. Unfortunately, this line of thinking deviated, and ended up being ‘blowing smoke into an animal bladder and releasing it in the rectum of the victim.’ Not really a good way to wake a person from near-death. Which is just so, as it is a very ineffective treatment. Finally, the craziest one in the bunch of historical CPR treatments involved the use of a horse. The victim was placed on top of the horse face down. The horse was then stimulated by a whip or some sort. This would cause the horse to move about and gallop, possibly exerting force on the chest area of the victim, stimulating the heart. This means that the treatment might have been effective for some, and doctors and scientists found out about how it works, and implemented it in the CPR that we know today.

CPR has developed interestingly throughout the years. Alongside its development, defibrillators have shown their improvements as well. Defibrillators were once only used alongside surgery, as the electric current had to be delivered to the heart. It improved and has become usable even without surgery, with the help of electropads. In modern times, there are now defibrillators that can be carried around easily, and can automatically detect signs of irregular heart beat rhythms, and deliver an appropriate amount of shock. Although not as interesting as the development of CPR throughout the years, seeing the development of defibrillators reflect the technological advancements that we have received.

These advancements have paved the way to the CPR and the AED that we have today. It is good to look back at the quirks and developments that the procedure and the equipment has undergone, but it is also important to look forward and learn about current trends and advancements. Attending a training and certification course for administering CPR and using an automatic external defibrillator can help people understand more about them as well as cardiac arrest. Getting to know these procedures can help greatly in the future, or in case someone within proximity falls victim to sudden cardiac arrest. Do your duty and get trained and informed.

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.