Fruits and Vegetables for Heart Health and Louisville CPR Classes, KY

Parents have always told us or tell their children to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. It is rightfully so, eating fruits and vegetables decreases the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. Up to 6 servings per day appears to provide the most benefit. To keep the heart in good shape and to prevent cardiac emergencies, it is important to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Cardiovascular disease can cause life-threatening cardiac emergencies like a cardiac arrest or heart attack. Not managing the risk factors well increases the chances of cardiovascular disease with the leading risk factors being high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Train in the life-saving CPR techniques to be able to effectively handle life-threatening emergencies outside hospitals. If you are a resident of the Louisville region in Kentucky, you can sign up at the AHA certified CPR Louisville for a course. Become eligible for an AHA CPR certification Louisville after successfully passing a skills test and written exam.

Reason behind consuming plenty of fruits and vegetables:

1.      They contain fiber, which protects against heart disease. Eating fiber also protects against type 2 diabetes. People with diabetes are also able to control their blood sugar better by consuming more soluble fiber.

2.      Fruits and vegetables are also usually rich in potassium and potassium may play a role in lowering blood pressure, and therefore, lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.

3.      Fruits and vegetables provide phytosterols, such as plant stanol and sterol esters which are natural plant compounds that help lower cholesterol. Phytosterols are found naturally in small amounts in fruits and vegetables, vegetable oils, nuts and whole grains.

Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables by following the below-mentioned tips:

1.      The American Heart Association recommends on having 4.5 cups of fruits and vegetables a day.

2.      When it comes to fruits and vegetables, there should be variety, opt for different colors.

3.      Lower your risk of cardiovascular disease by consuming green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.

4.      The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends consuming 2 grams of phytosterols each day on the part of individuals with high cholesterol which necessitates to eat foods fortified with stanol or sterol esters. 

It is important for individuals to analyze their eating behaviors which one should start by tracking what is being eaten and finding the problem areas.

Problem areas include

1.      Too many high-calorie snacks between meals

2.      Not enough fruits and vegetables

3.      Not enough whole grains

4.      Insufficient fish consumption

5.      Too many high-fat dairy and meat products

6.      Excess salt from convenience foods and fast foods

7.      Too many packaged foods with high saturated fat and trans-fat levels

Consult a healthcare provider for charting out an effective diet plan and exercise routine for yourself which will ensure a longer shelf-life.

For more information or to join a CPR program, contact CPR Louisville on 502-804-6132.

Handling Out of Hospital Stroke Situations and Louisville ACLS Certification

Anybody suffering from stroke should be immediately tended to. The risk for stroke is higher for people who have Atrial Fibrillation (Afib) compared to those who have a normal heartbeat. The normal electrical rhythm of the ticker causes first the top chambers (the atria) and then the upper chambers (the ventricles) to contract which allows blood to pump through the body. But Afib involves abnormal activity in the top heart chambers which therefore quivers (fibrillates) which causes blood to pool in the heart, where it can potentially form a clot. Stroke occurs if the blood clot travels (embolus) to the person’s brain, this type of stroke is known as an ischemic stroke which account for nearly 90 percent of all strokes. Having Afib is a big risk factor for stroke. Prior to discussing about the warning signs, read to know more about the valuable CPR techniques.

CPR techniques are termed “valuable” because proper application of the procedures can revive the life of a victim involved in a cardiac emergency which can either be a cardiac arrest or heart attack. Every individual should be trained in the procedures to be able to deal with such emergencies in out of hospital cases. The procedures comprise chest compressions and rescue breathings which should be applied in a ratio of 30:2. Always choose a certified training center for obtaining training such as the AHA certified CPR Louisville. Trained and experienced instructors conduct the classes with there being courses for both healthcare and non-healthcare providers. Read to know more about an ACLS certification Louisville program.

ACLS Training Classes- An Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) class is designed for those who work in emergency response, intensive care units, the emergency department, anesthesia units, telemetry departments, cardiac catheterization labs, outpatient surgery centers, advanced dentistry, respiratory therapy departments, some pharmacy departments, and many more. Most employers of these departments require employees to be ACLS certified.

The course fee is $297.

We have already mentioned about Afib being a significant risk factor of stroke, it is genuinely worrisome as the symptoms may vary. But the good part is awareness of Afib and the options for managing Afib are improving. It is advisable to work closely with your healthcare team to manage the condition if you or your loved one has Afib in order to lower the risk of stroke.

Warning Signs:

Every individual should be aware of the stroke symptoms and should seek immediate medical help with the arrival of the symptoms in themselves or someone they are with. Seconds count during a stroke, delay in treatment may cost the victim its life. Faster treatment ensures higher chances for a stroke to be stopped possibly saving the victim’s life and preventing damage to the brain tissue that can result in disability.

A guide to spot stroke:

1.      Face drooping

2.      Arm weakness

3.      Speech difficulty

4.      Time to call the emergency medical services by dialing 911

Remember FAST and you are good to go.

Managing Afib:

It is important for an individual to be aware of the symptoms of a stroke as the Afib condition can exist throughout an individual’s life. It is as important to strictly follow the treatment plan set up by the team of doctors, nurses and other healthcare specialists. Healthcare providers may recommend a combination of lifestyle changes, medications or a procedure depending on the cause behind Afib, its severity and whether there are other risk factors of stroke.

 

To sign up for a CPR course at CPR Louisville, either register online or call on 502-804-6132 for the same.

Abnormal Heart Rhythm Types and Louisville CPR Classes

Problems with the heart’s electrical system can be life-threatening as it can lead to the occurrence of cardiac emergencies like a cardiac arrest or heart attack. Such a victim would require immediate treatment for survival. Most cardiac arrests occur due to an abnormal heart rhythm that goes by the name of Ventricular Fibrillation. The treatment of arrhythmia depends on the kind of abnormal heart beat.

The best way to handle cardiac emergencies in out-of-hospital cases is by going for a CPR certification Louisville program at an accredited training center such as the AHA certified CPR Louisville in Kentucky. Courses are conducted by certified instructors. Both theoretical and practical training are imparted to the students. 

There are different types of arrhythmias, some are fast, some are slow while others are irregular. 

Fast Heart Rhythms or Tachycardia:

1.      Ventricular Tachycardia- It is a dangerous type of rapid rhythm usually associated with too little blood being ejected from the ticker (poor cardiac output). It arises in the organ’s lower chambers (the ventricles).

2.      Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)- In this abnormal rhythm, the electrical impulse stimulating the ticker does not come from the sinus node as it should, it comes from a collection of tissue involving the atrioventricular (AV) node, and the electrical impulses are generated at a rapid rate, which may result in 280 beats per minute. Cardioversion may be recommended for severe SVT.

3.      Atrial Flutter occurs when rapidly fired signals cause the muscles in the upper chambers of the ticker (the atria) to contract quickly.

Slow Rhythms or Bradycardia:

Atrioventricular Block- It occurs when some or all of the electrical signals traveling from the organ's upper chambers (the atria) to the lower chambers (the ventricles) are impaired or fail to transmit. In medical terms it is called "heart block" or "AV block." Types of AV block include Second-degree AV Block and Complete AV Block. The recommended treatment for AV block is pacemaker implantation. 

Irregular Rhythms:

1.      Premature Atrial Contraction- an electrical impulse generated in the upper chamber of the heart “fires” early causing the organ to beat earlier than normal thus irregularly. This does not require any kind of therapy, medications can control it. 

2.      Premature Ventricular Contraction- In this case, the lower chambers (the ventricles) of the organ generate an early impulse that causes the organ to beat earlier than normal.

3.      Atrial Fibrillation- Many sites within the heart’s upper chambers (the atria) generate irregular electrical impulses to cause an irregular heartbeat. This is quite unusual in children.

Hope, this information proves to be beneficial for you. For a CPR course at CPR Louisville, you can either register online or call on 502-804-6132 for the same. All of our instructors are American Heart Association certified. Each has gone through the rigorous training that the AHA requires in order to be certified to teach classes. After they complete the actual instructor class, they are then carefully monitored while teaching their own class. This monitoring includes looking for proper AHA procedure, as well as ensuring that accurate information is being disseminated to the students.