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5 Early Warning Signs of a Heart Attack

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June is Men’s Health Month

common heart attack warning signs
Image via Heart.org

Heart disease is the is the leading cause of death among men in America, so Men’s Health Month is the perfect time to review the American Heart Association’s warning signs of a heart attack.

Don’t wait to get help if you experience any of these heart attack warning signs. Although some heart attacks are sudden and intense, most start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Pay attention to your body — and call 911 if you feel:

  1. Chest discomfort that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
  2. Pain or discomfort in one or both arms or shoulders.
  3. Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck or back.
  4. Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort. 
  5. Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

Act Fast

Learn the signs, but remember this: Even if you’re not sure it’s a heart attack, have it checked out. Minutes matter! Fast action can save lives — maybe your own. Don’t wait – call 911 or your emergency response number.

Call 911

Calling 911 is almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment. Emergency medical services (EMS) staff can begin treatment when they arrive — up to an hour sooner than if someone gets to the hospital by car. EMS staff are also trained to revive someone whose heart has stopped. Patients with chest pain who arrive by ambulance usually receive faster treatment at the hospital, too. It is best to call EMS for rapid transport to the emergency room.

Interested in learning more? Additional tools and resources on heart attacks are available from the American Heart Association. For more information on Men’s Health Month, visit menshealthmonth.org.

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HeartCert CPR is your trusted training partner for First Aid and CPR in Minnesota. Find your CPR Class, PALS Class, BLS Class or ACLS Class at any of our Minnesota locations:

We also partner with Duluth, Mankato, Rochester, Appleton and Anchorage for select classes.

5 Reasons Why Everyone Should Know CPR

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man clutching chest - why everyone should know cprWould you know what to do if a loved one collapsed suddenly in front of you? Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death in the world. CPR can be the difference between life and death. You can’t assume that someone else will step in – that’s why it’s so important to learn CPR. Getting certified is easier than you think. Reserve your spot now!

Lawrence Phillips, MD gives 5 reasons why everyone should be certified. Read the full blog post at Everyday Health, or read on for the highlights:

1. CPR Saves Lives

More than 300,000 people have cardiac arrests in the United States every year.  Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when an electrical rhythm problem occurs and the heart is no longer able to pump blood effectively to the rest of the body. You might see a person suddenly collapse, lose consciousness, and stop breathing. The longer the body goes without circulation, the lower the chance of survival. By performing CPR, you are able to help the person’s blood keep circulating until an ambulance arrives and more advanced tools can be used. We know that the chance of surviving a sudden cardiac arrest increases significantly, by more than double, when CPR is started early.

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2. CPR is Not Performed Enough

Would you be surprised to learn that bystander CPR is done in less than half of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests? National statistics have shown that only 15 to 30 percent of people who experience sudden cardiac arrests outside of hospitals receive bystander CPR. When people are asked why they would not give CPR, a very common answer is that they never received training. Other concerns, such as doing harm to the person, doing harm to oneself, legal risks, or concerns about infection, often diminish once people learn proper CPR techniques.

3. You Don’t Have to Do Mouth-to-Mouth Resuscitation

Another reason people report they do not perform CPR is because of concerns performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. In 2010 the guidelines for performing CPR were changed, and they now say that those who do not feel comfortable, or who have not received formal training, should attempt hands-only CPR. We advocate performing chest compressions even without breathing assistance. Hands-only CPR has been shown to be just as effective for many adults who experience sudden cardiac arrest.

4. Hands-Only CPR is Easy to Learn

To perform hands-only CPR, place the heel of your hand on the center of the victim’s chest. Take your other hand and place it on top of the first, interlacing your fingers. Press down on the chest about two inches and release. You want to repeat this quickly, at least 100 times a minute. And don’t stop doing CPR until emergency services arrives at the scene – recent studies have found that people may have a better chance of surviving with normal brain function when CPR is continued up to 38 minutes or longer. There are many places to find online videos, as well as formal classes, to see CPR performed correctly. The goal is to find the learning technique that works best for you so that you are comfortable if you are in a situation where you can save a life!

5. Most Cardiac Arrests Occur in the Home

More than 85 percent of cardiac arrests take place at home. In my office at NYU Langone Medical Center, I frequently hear stories from patients about how their lives were saved because of CPR performed by a husband, wife, child, or friend. In fact, there has been a big push, led by the American Heart Association, to bring CPR training to schools, which can save even more lives. So take the challenge. If you don’t know CPR, learn CPR and gain the confidence in knowing that if you are ever needed, you too can save a life!

HeartCert CPR is your trusted training partner for First Aid and CPR in Minnesota. Find your CPR Class, PALS Class, BLS Class or ACLS Class at any of our Minnesota locations:

We also partner with Duluth, Mankato, Rochester, Appleton and Anchorage for select classes.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest or Heart Attack: Know the Difference

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Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Heart Attack are NOT the Same Thing!

cardiac arrest
Image Credit: ©2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

A little knowledge can be a lifesaving thing. Too often, people use “sudden cardiac arrest” and “heart attack” interchangeably, but they shouldn’t. A heart attack is when blood flow to the heart is blocked and sudden cardiac arrest is when the heart malfunctions and suddenly stops beating unexpectedly. A heart attack is a “circulation” problem and sudden cardiac arrest is an “electrical” problem. The American Heart Association provides a few more facts it may be healthy to know:

What is a Heart Attack?

A heart attack occurs when a blocked artery keeps oxygen-rich blood from reaching a section of the heart. If the blocked artery is not reopened quickly, the part of the heart normally nourished by that artery begins to die. The longer a person goes without treatment, the greater the damage. Symptoms of a heart attack may be immediate and intense. More often, though, symptoms start slowly and persist for hours, days or even weeks before the heart attack. The heart usually does not stop beating during a heart attack. Symptoms can differ in men and women.

What is Cardiac Arrest?

Sudden cardiac arrest often occurs without warning. It’s triggered by an electrical malfunction in the heart that causes an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). With its pumping action disrupted, the heart cannot send blood to the brain, lungs and other organs. Seconds later, a person loses consciousness and has no pulse. Death occurs within minutes if the victim does not receive treatment.

What is the link between the two?

These two distinct heart conditions are linked. Sudden cardiac arrest can occur after a heart attack or during recovery. Heart attacks increase the risk for sudden cardiac arrest. Most heart attacks do not lead to sudden cardiac arrest but when sudden cardiac arrest occurs, heart attack is a common cause. Other heart conditions may also disrupt the heart’s rhythm and lead to sudden cardiac arrest. These include a thickened heart muscle (cardiomyopathy), heart failure, and arrhythmias, particularly ventricular fibrillation and long QT syndrome.

What to do: Heart Attack

Even if you’re not sure it’s a heart attack, don’t wait more than five minutes to call 9-1-1 or other emergency response number. Every minute matters. It’s best to call EMS to get to the emergency room right away. Emergency medical services staff can begin treatment when they arrive—up to an hour sooner than if someone gets to the hospital by car. EMS staff are also trained to revive someone whose heart has stopped. Patients with chest pain who arrive by ambulance may get faster treatment at the hospital, too.

What to do: Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Cardiac arrest is reversible in most victims if it’s treated within a few minutes. First, call 9-1-1 for emergency medical services. Then use an automated external defibrillator (AED) if one is available. Begin CPR immediately and continue until professional emergency medical services arrive. If two people are available to help, one should begin CPR immediately while the other calls 9-1-1 and finds an AED. Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death—nearly 360,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur annually in the United States. By performing immediate CPR, you can double or even triple a victim’s chance of survival.

Learn More

Fast action can save lives. It’s a good idea to know what to do if someone experiences a heart attack or cardiac arrest. HeartCert offers CPR and First Aid classes for all skill sets and levels of experience. Whether you are an experienced Healthcare Professional or a new parent just wanting to learn ‘the basics’, we have a class for you! We can teach a convenient one-on-one CPR or first aid training session, or we can certify a large group on-site depending on your needs. Visit our Home page to get started.

Source: ©2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Four Silent Heart Attack Symptoms in Women

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Do You Know These Hard-to-Recognize Heart Attack Symptoms in Women?

Every February the American Heart Association celebrates Go Red for Women month, highlighting issues around women’s heart health. One of the most basic issues is knowing the signs and symptoms of a heart attack and how those symptoms can differ in women and men. Read on for details on four silent heart attack symptoms that women should most definitely be aware of, brought to you by the American Heart Association.

women heart attack symptoms
Image Credit: American Heart Association

Well-known heart attack symptoms can include chest pain and radiating discomfort in the left arm. But, as Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum explains, there are several other ways your body may tell you when something isn’t quite right, potentially with your heart.

Shortness of breath

According to Steinbaum, director of The Heart and Vascular Institute at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, women often struggle to breathe a few weeks before experiencing a heart attack.

“If you are used to doing a certain amount of activity and then, all of a sudden, you can’t get enough air, that is when I get concerned,” says Steinbaum.

Back pain

Irregular pain in the lower or upper back can indicate stress to the heart muscle, Steinbaum says.

Jaw pain

“I had one patient who would feel her jaw start to hurt every time she got on a treadmill,” Steinbaum says. “But once she stopped, her jaw pain would go away. She went to a dentist, but there wasn’t anything wrong with her teeth.”

This discomfort continued until the woman experienced a heart attack. When she came into Steinbaum’s office after the event, it was evident that the jaw pain was directly linked to what was happening in her heart.

“Sometimes the heart isn’t able to give a good signal and, instead, the pain can radiate to the neck, jaw and back,” she says.

Nausea

Flu-like symptoms are often reported weeks and days before a heart attack. In fact, as Steinbaum explains, TV personality Rosie O’Donnell reportedly regurgitated a few times before she experienced a heart attack in early 2012.

Advice: Trust Your Gut

If you aren’t feeling normal or are experiencing any of the symptoms above, head to you local emergency room. It is better to take care of yourself and prevent damage to your heart, in the event you are having a heart attack.

“A women’s intuition is a very strong thing; don’t ever discount it,” Steinbaum says.

“Ninety percent of my women patients who’ve just had a heart attack tell me that they knew it was their heart all along. That they just had a feeling.”

Learn more about your risk for heart disease as well as  factors that increase your risk on Go Red For Women.

Learn More

Fast action can save lives. It’s a good idea to know what to do if someone experiences a heart attack or cardiac arrest. HeartCert offers CPR and First Aid classes for all skill sets and levels of experience. Whether you are an experienced Healthcare Professional or a new parent just wanting to learn ‘the basics’, we have a class for you! We can teach a convenient one-on-one CPR or first aid training session, or we can certify a large group on-site depending on your needs. Visit our Home page to get started.

Source: ©2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Snow Shoveling Safety

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Tips for Preventing a Cardiac Injury While Snow Shoveling

snow shovelingWinter has officially arrived in Minnesota, with snow storms the past two weekends forcing residents state-wide to pull out our shovels and fire up our snow blowers. Clearing our driveways and sidewalks is an added duty that we all have to tackle each winter and although it may be tiring and inconvenient, it can also be dangerous. A study conducted by US Nationwide Children’s Hospital found that every winter, almost 100 people in the United States die from cardiac-related injuries associated with snow shoveling. 

Whether it is a few inches or a whole foot of snow, there are things to remember when going to clear it all out. Snow can be heavy and pushing it around with a shovel and throwing it onto your snow banks is exhausting, whether you have been doing other physical activity or not. Here are some tips for safely shoveling snow:

  • Do not shovel after eating or while smoking
  • Take it slow and stretch out before you begin
  • Shovel only fresh, powdery snow; it’s lighter
  • Push the snow rather than lifting it
  • If you do lift it, use a small shovel or only partially fill the shovel
  • Lift with your legs, not your back
  • Do not work to the point of exhaustion
  • Stay hydrated
  • Wear warm, breathable layers

If you are tackling a huge snowfall’s worth of snow, take frequent breaks, clearing your driveway in sections. If possible, get out and shovel while it is snowing to take it out layer by layer, before it gets too heavy or compacted.

If you are currently or have recently been facing lung or heart problems, consult a doctor first. At any feelings of tightness in the chest or dizziness, stop immediately. Always take your health into concern before worrying about shoveling your driveway. You are more important. If possible, shovel with someone else in your household or when a neighbor is shoveling as well so that you can monitor each other. If possible, keep your cell phone on your so that you can use it if need in an emergency.

Are you prepared to provide life-saving care in case of a snow-related cardiac emergency? HeartCert provides affordable, quality training to improve the quality of care and chance for survival in case of emergency. Plan your next on-site group training or attend a session at one of our convenient locations; click here to get started.