Reason behind Shocking Heart Deaths among People in Louisville, KY

Someone in the prime of their life like a professional sports star, teen athlete, marathon runner, or other seemingly healthy person -- isn't supposed to collapse and die from heart disease. But it occasionally happens, which can be attributed to the occurrence of a sudden cardiac arrest. The best way to deal with that is by going for CPR classes. You can sign up for a CPR certification Louisville program at the AHA accredited CPR Louisville which consists of some of the most experienced instructors. In the classes, students will be imparted training in the life-saving procedures comprising of chest compressions and rescue breaths through a series of audio and video lectures and hands-on practice. 

The rare nature of sudden cardiac arrest among the young is precisely what makes it so attention-grabbing. 

What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest?

Sudden cardiac arrest is quite different from a heart attack. A heart attack stems from a circulation or “plumbing,” problem of the heart, it occurs when a sudden blockage in a coronary artery severely reduces or cuts off blood flow to the heart, damaging heart muscle.

In contrast, a sudden cardiac arrest is due to an "electrical" problem in the heart which happens when electrical signals that control the heart's pumping ability essentially short-circuit. Suddenly, the heart may beat dangerously fast, causing the heart's ventricles -- its main pumping chambers -- to quiver or flutter instead of pumping blood in a coordinated fashion. Occurrence of this rhythm disturbance, called ventricular fibrillation, can be attributed to an underlying heart condition that may or may not have been detected. Ventricular fibrillation impedes the heart’s pumping action, thus ceasing blood circulation to the rest of the body. 

The only way that a victim can be revived is with immediate CPR or a shock from an Automated External Defibrillator or else the victim will die within minutes. The connection between heart attack and sudden cardiac death is the fact that heart attack can trigger an electrical malfunction that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest. 

Causes of Sudden Cardiac Arrest:

1.      It is heart disease which increases the chances for an individual to get a cardiac arrest or a heart attack. The biggest risk factors of heart disease include high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol levels. But you may not be aware about the rare heart disorders that can cause sudden cardiac arrest in young people. 

2.      The underlying conditions in young people may include congenital heart disease, inherited diseases of the myocardium (the heart’s muscular tissue), of the electrical system.

3.      Congenital abnormalities of the coronary arteries pose another risk for sudden cardiac arrest.

4.      Other conditions that can trigger sudden cardiac arrest include an inherited electrical disorder of the heart called long QT syndrome; an inflammatory heart condition called acute myocarditis; and Marfan syndrome (Marfan Syndrome is a genetic disorder of the connective tissue that can have fatal cardiovascular effects). 

5.      Some athletes often die after being struck in the chest, a trauma called commotio cordis.

If you come across a victim struck with a sudden cardiac arrest, immediately start administering the life-saving resuscitation procedures or look for an AED device nearby. AED devices should be available in most public places and they are very easy to use. Even if you are untrained, you can just turn on the device and follow the instructions. All of this will help you to stabilize the condition of the victim on your hand.

For attaining proper training, you can sign up for a CPR certification Louisville program at CPR Louisville. For more information, call on 502-804-6132.

Symptoms of Various Heart Problems among People and a CPR Certification in Louisville

Each type of heart problem requires different treatment but many of them share similar warning signs. Some of the heart problems include coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure and heart attack. It is important to keep heart disease at bay as heart disease is one of the primary reasons that leads to the occurrence of cardiac emergencies like a cardiac arrest or heart attack. The best way to deal with cardiac emergencies is by signing up for a CPR certification Louisville program. In the classes, students will be trained in the life-saving resuscitation techniques comprising of chest compressions and rescue breaths. Proper application of the techniques can revive the life of a victim involved in a cardiac emergency.

Go for a certified training center for obtaining training such as the AHA accredited CPR Louisville in Kentucky which comprises of some of the most experienced instructors. At the end of the training classes, a student will be eligible for a certification after successfully passing a skills test and a written exam. 

It is important to recognize the symptoms that may signal heart disease. You should immediately meet a doctor if you begin to have new symptoms or if your symptoms become more frequent or severe.

Symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease:

Angina or chest pain is the most common symptom of coronary artery disease. Angina can be described as a discomfort, heaviness, pressure, aching, burning, fullness, squeezing, or painful feeling in the chest which can be mistaken for indigestion or heartburn. One may also feel Angina in the shoulders, arms, neck, throat, jaw, or back.

A few other symptoms include:

        I.            Shortness of breath

      II.            A faster heartbeat

    III.            Palpitations

    IV.            Nausea

      V.            Sweating

    VI.            Dizziness or weakness

Symptoms of Arrhythmias:

Some of the symptoms of arrhythmias or an abnormal heart rhythm include:

        I.            Pounding in the chest

      II.            Fainting

    III.            Shortness of breath

    IV.            Chest discomfort

      V.            Weakness or fatigue

    VI.            Palpitations

Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation:

Atrial Fibrillation is a type of arrhythmia and people with AF may experience one or more of the below-mentioned symptoms:

        I.            Heart Palpitations

      II.            Dizziness

    III.            Shortness of breath (even during normal activities)

    IV.            Chest discomfort (pain, pressure or discomfort in the chest)

Symptoms of a Heart Attack:

During a heart attack, symptoms usually last 30 minutes or longer which cannot be relieved by rest or oral medications. One should immediately call for the emergency medical services by dialing 911 if you are having a heart attack or if your near and dear one is having it.

        I.            Discomfort, pressure, heaviness, or pain in the chest, arm, or below the breastbone

      II.            Discomfort radiating to the back, jaw, throat, or arm

    III.            Fullness, indigestion, or choking feeling (may feel like heartburn)

    IV.            Sweating, nausea, vomiting, or dizziness

      V.            Extreme weakness, anxiety, or shortness of breath

    VI.            Rapid or irregular heartbeats

Symptoms of Congenital Heart Defects:

Congenital heart defects may be diagnosed before birth, right after birth, during childhood, or not until adulthood.

In adults, symptoms of congenital heart disease include:

        I.            Shortness of breath

      II.            Limited ability to exercise

    III.            Symptoms of heart failure or valve disease

Congenital heart defects in infants and children include:

        I.            Cyanosis (a bluish tint to the skin, fingernails, and lips)

      II.            Fast breathing and poor feeding

    III.            Poor weight gain

    IV.            Recurrent lung infections

      V.            Inability to exercise

Symptoms of Heart Muscle Disease:

It is mostly seen among people with heart muscle disease or cardiomyopathy that they experience no symptoms or only minor symptoms, and live a normal life. Other people may develop symptoms, which advance and worsen with the worsening of the heart function.

Symptoms of cardiomyopathy include:

·         Chest pain or pressure (occurs usually with exercise or physical activity, but can also occur with rest or after meals)

·         Heart failure symptoms

·         Swelling of the lower extremities

·         Fatigue

·         Fainting

·         Palpitation

Hopefully, the above information will be of advantage to you. 

So, sign up for a CPR certification Louisville program or any other program at CPR Louisville and contribute towards the safety of victims involved in cardiac emergencies. For more information, call on 502-804-6132.

Heart Disease Definition and Facts for People in Louisville, KY

More and more people are dying from cardiac emergencies like a cardiac arrest or heart attack. The primary reason behind their occurrence being heart disease. The best and the most effective way to deal with cardiac emergencies is by going for a CPR class Louisville. CPR stands for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation which comprises of chest compressions and rescue breaths and properly administering the techniques can lead to a victim’s survival. 

Do select a certified training center for acquiring training such as the AHA accredited CPR Louisville in Kentucky which comprises of some of the most experienced instructors. Classes are conducted through a series of audio and video lectures and hands-on practice.

Heart disease refers to various types of conditions that can affect the heart function like-

Coronary Artery Heart Disease- It affects the arteries to the heart and is also the most common type of heart disease in US.

Signs and symptoms of coronary heart disease include:

1.      Chest pain (angina) - This pain may radiate or move to the arm, neck or back.

2.      Shortness of breath

3.      Sweating

4.      Nausea

5.      Irregular heartbeat

Vulvular Heart Disease- It affects the functionality of the valves in regulating blood flow in and out of the heart.

Cardiomyopathy- It affects how the heart muscle squeezes.

Heart rhythm disturbances that affect the electrical conduction.

Heart Infections where the heart has structural problems that develop before birth. 

Risks for Heart (cardiovascular) disease:

There are a few risk factors that increase the potential to develop plaque within coronary arteries thus causing them to narrow. This is mainly referred to as Atherosclerosis (athero=fatty plaque + sclerosis=hardening). Some of the factors that increase the risk:

        I.            Smoking

      II.            High Blood Pressure

    III.            High Cholesterol

    IV.            Diabetes

      V.            Obesity

    VI.            Family history of heart problems like heart attacks and strokes

Signs and Symptoms of Heart Disease:

A.      Some people may have indigestion and nausea while others may have upper abdominal, shoulder or back pain.

B.      The most important symptom is angina, or pain from the heart that is described as a crushing pain or heaviness in the center of the chest with the pain radiating to the arm or jaw.

C.      The term used to describe symptoms that occur at rest, wakes the patient from sleep and do not respond quickly to nitroglycerin or rest is “Unstable angina”. 

Treatment for Heart Disease:

Maximizing the patient’s quantity and quality of life is the main goal of treating cardiovascular disease. Like we all know “prevention is better than cure” which holds true in this regards as well. Prevention is the key to avoid cardiovascular disease. It is possible to limit the progression (after plaque formation has begun) by maintaining a healthy lifestyle with routine exercise, a healthy diet and by aiming for lifetime control of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

Diagnosis of a Heart Disease:

The diagnosis of cardiovascular disease mainly begins by taking a patient’s history by a doctor. Some of the tests include:

        I.            Electrocardiogram (EKG, ECG)

      II.            Echocardiography

    III.            Stress Tests

    IV.            Nuclear Imaging

      V.            Cardiac catheterization

    VI.            Cardiac computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

So, it is advisable that you take the required precautionary measures in order to keep heart disease at bay. So, enroll for a CPR class Louisville and gain the benefits. You can either register for a program online or call on 502-804-6132 for registration at CPR Louisville.