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The Heart

    From the moment it begins beating until the moment it stops, the human heart works tirelessly. In an average lifetime, the heart beats more than two and a half billion times, without ever pausing to rest. Like a pumping machine, the heart provides the power needed for life.

    This life-sustaining power has, throughout time, caused an air of mystery to surround the heart. Modern technology has removed much of the mystery, but there is still an air of fascination and curiosity.

    Would you Know what to do if your loved one had a heart attack? If your son or daughter were to drown, would you be able to help? Or would you have to stand and watch? Don't let yourself be caught in one of these situations. Learning CPR will provide you with the ability to act and make a Life Saving difference.

CPR, which stands for CardioPulmonary Resucitation, is the technique that has been developed for a first aid provider in that unenviable position.
When a victims heart is restarted, it is usually due to the arrival of more professional equipment, for example, a defibrillator, which electrically shocks the heart into starting again.
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Heart Attack
    A heart attack is usually caused by lack of blood in the arteries to the heart. It may occur suddenly or after prolonged angina (intermittent, insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle). It also occurs when there's insufficient oxygen in the blood to the heart. Many medical illnesses, as well as drug abuse (especially cocaine), can contribute to a heart attack.

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SIGNS & SYMPTOMS:
  1. Persistent chest pain or discomfort: Victim may have persistent pressure, squeezing, or crushing type pain in the chest that is not relieved by resting, changing positions, or medication. Pain may spread to jaw, neck, or arms
  2. Difficulty breathing: Victim may feel short of breath or is breathing faster than normal.
  3. Abnormal skin appearance: Victim's skin may be pale, ashen (gray), or bluish in color. Victim's skin may also feel cool and moist.
  4. Dizziness, light-headedness, or fainting
  5. Nausea and/or vomiting
  6. Note: Not all of these signals occur in every heart attack. If you are with someone having "signals", expect denial..
  7. Insist on calling. 9-1-1.

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What Not To Do

  1. Do not wait for pain to go away unless medication has been given.
  2. Do not attempt to relieve pain by walking or stretching.
  3. Do not force victim into uncomfortable position.
  4. Do not give anything by mouth except victim's prescription medication.
  5. Do not leave victim alone.

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What To Do

  1. Check the ABC's and get medical help.  (ABC = Airway, Breathing & Circulation
  2. If ABC aren't present, begin CPR after calling for help.
  3. If ABC are present, loosen clothing and assist with medication.
  4. Monitor the abc's until help arrives.

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CARE FOR A HEART ATTACK

Recognize the signals of a heart attack.
  1. Remain calm (you'll do great!).
  2. Have the victim stop activity and rest comfortably (place them in a position of comfort).
  3. Quickly confirm information about the victim's current condition (awake? breathing? symptoms?).
  4. Call 9-1-1 immediately.
  5. Answer all of the 9-1-1 Dispatcher's questions as accurately as possible.
  6. Closely follow any instructions given by the 9-1-1Dispatcher.
  7. Do not hang up until the 9-1-1 Dispatcher says to.
  8. Stay with and reassure the victim.
  9. Assist with medication, if prescribed for the victim.
  10. Monitor the victim's condition closely.
  11. Be prepared to give CPR, if necessary.
  12. (Please know, that no matter what the outcome, you did the best you could.)

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STROKE IDENTIFICATION:

Say during a BBQ, a friend of yours stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics, she refused) and had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food - while she appeared a bit shaken up, she went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening. Later her husband called telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00pm, she had passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps she would be with you today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.
It only takes a minute to read this...
A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

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RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
Remember the "3" steps, STR
S *Ask the individual to SMILE.
T *Ask the person to TALK . to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE
(Coherently) (i.e. . . It is sunny out today)
R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
{NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out their tongue... if the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke}
If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

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