Avoid Secondhand Smoke to Prevent Heart Attacks and Louisville CPR Classes

Like smoking, secondhand smoke exposure is as big a risk factor for having a life-threatening heart attack. Breathing secondhand smoke can result in the cells in the blood that are responsible for clotting (platelets) to become stickier increasing the likelihood for blood to clot which can cause formation of a clot that may block an artery, causing a heart attack (myocardial infarction) or stroke. Furthermore, secondhand smoke causes endothelial dysfunction which makes arteries unable to dilate which is associated with many forms of cardiovascular disease.

Secondhand smoke is a combination of smoke from the burning end of a cigarette and smoke breathed out by smokers that contains more than 7000 chemicals. The chemicals also irritate the lining of arteries, causing them to swell (inflammation) which can narrow the arteries increasing the risk of having chest pain related to the ticker (angina) and even a heart attack.

Signing up for a CPR certification Louisville program will equip you in the life-saving procedure which will enable you to efficiently handle out-of-hospital cardiac emergencies like a cardiac arrest or heart attack. Seconds count when someone’s blood flow ore breathing stops which can result in permanent brain damage or death. You could save a life if you know how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation which is an emergency procedure for a person whose heart has stopped or is no longer breathing. Proper application of the procedure can maintain circulation and breathing until emergency medical help arrives. For training, select a certified training site such as the AHA certified CPR Louisville in Kentucky.

Secondhand Smoke Facts:

1.      Numerous health problems occur in children and infants that include more frequent and severe asthma attacks, respiratory and ear infections and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

2.      During pregnancy, smoking can result in more than 1000 infant deaths annually.

3.      Coronary heart disease, stroke and lung cancer are some of the health conditions caused by secondhand smoke.

Breathing secondhand smoke can have immediate adverse effects on the blood and blood vessels increasing the risk of having a heart attack as it interferes with the normal functioning of the heart, blood and vascular systems. The lining of blood vessels can get damaged even with brief exposure to secondhand smoke causing blood platelets to become stickier which can cause a deadly heart attack.

You can avoid secondhand smoke by:

1.      Avoiding the smoke exhaled by others and avoiding places others are smoking.

2.      Encouraging smokers around you to quit smoking or encouraging them to smoke in outdoor areas which will reduce the amount of secondhand smoke others will breathe.

3.      Giving an explanation of the harmful effects of smoke to others and for the smoker himself.

Avoiding secondhand smoke becomes all the more important for individuals who’ve had a previous heart attack or have been diagnosed with heart disease. Quitting smoking is the best way to reduce heart attack risk.

At CPR Louisville, courses for both healthcare and non-healthcare are offered. You can either register for a class online or call on 502-804-6132 for the same.