Vital Heart Symptoms that your should Never Ignore

Remember, not all heart problems come with clear warning signs. You’d be surprised that some heart symptoms don’t even happen in your chest, and it’s difficult to tell what’s going on. Get it checked out if you aren’t sure which is especially true if you are 60 or older, are overweight, or have diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure. The higher the number of risk factors you have, the more you should be concerned about anything that might be ticker-related.

Do not ignore these problems:

Chest Discomfort- It is the most common sign that your ticker is in danger. You may feel pain, tightness, or pressure in your chest if you have a blocked artery or are having a heart attack. The feeling varies in everyone with some saying it's like an elephant is sitting on them whereas some others say it's like a pinching or burning. The feeling generally lasts longer than a few minutes which may happen when you’re at rest or doing something physical. Immediately call 911 if the symptoms are more severe and do not go away after a few minutes. It’s also possible to have heart problems- even a heart attack- without chest pain, that’s especially common among women.

Pain Spreading to the Arm- Pain that radiates down the left side of the body is another classic heart attack symptom which almost always starts from the chest and moves outward.

Throat or Jaw Pain- Throat or jaw pain isn’t probably heart-related by itself which is more likely caused by a muscular issue, a cold, or a sinus problem. Call 911 and seek medical attention if you have pain or pressure in the center of your chest that spreads up into your throat or jaw as it could be a sign of a heart attack.

Dizziness or Lightheadedness- Although a lot of things can make you lose your balance or feel faint for a moment, but if you suddenly feel unsteady and you also have chest discomfort or shortness of breath- immediately seek medical attention as it could mean there has been a drop in your blood pressure because your ticker isn't able to pump the way it should.

You get Fatigued Easily- Make an appointment with your doctor right away if you suddenly feel fatigued after doing something you had no problem doing in the past -- like climbing the stairs as extreme exhaustion or unexplained weakness, sometimes for days at a time, can be a symptom of cardiovascular disease, especially for women.

Sweating- Call 911 and get to a hospital right away if you break out in a cold sweat for no obvious reason as that could signal a heart attack. If this happens along with any of these other symptoms, immediate medical attention should be sought.

An Ongoing Cough- This isn’t a sign of heart trouble in most cases but pay attention to the possibility if you have cardiovascular disease or you know you are at risk. A long-lasting cough that produces a white or pink mucus could be a sign of heart failure that happens when the ticker can't keep up with the body's demands, causing blood to leak back into the lungs.

Swollen Legs, Feet and Ankles- This could be a sign that your ticker doesn’t pump blood as efficiently as it should. Blood backs up in the veins and causes bloating when the ticker can’t pump fast enough. HF can also make it harder for the kidneys to remove extra water and sodium from the body, which can lead to bloating.

Irregular Heartbeat- When you are nervous or excited, it’s normal for your ticker to race or to add or skip a beat once in a while. Tell your doctor if you feel like your ticker is beating out of time for more than just a few seconds, or if it happens often as occasionally, it could signal a condition called atrial fibrillation that needs treatment. Ask your doctor to check it out.

Stay prepared to efficiently handle out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases by getting CPR trained at the AHA certified CPR Louisville in Kentucky. For more information, call us on 502-804-6132.

Congenital Heart Defect Facts and Louisville CPR Classes

A congenital heart defect (CHD) is a structural problem with the heart that’s present at birth. Such defects occur due to a mishap during heart development soon after conception – often before the mother is aware that she is pregnant. CHD range in severity from simple problems, such as “holes” between chambers of the heart, to very severe malformations, such as the complete absence of one or more chambers or valves. CHD increases the risk for other medical conditions like:

1.      Pulmonary hypertension

2.      Arrhythmias

3.      Infective endocarditis

4.      Anticoagulation

5.      Congestive heart failure

It is important to keep the heart in good shape for keeping cardiac emergencies at bay. No one can predict the occurrence of a cardiac emergency which can be a cardiac arrest or heart attack. A victim would require immediate treatment for survival. It is advisable for individuals to sign up for a CPR class Louisville to keep life-threatening emergencies at bay. The CPR procedures include chest compressions and rescue breaths. Being a resident of the Louisville region, you can sign up for a program at the AHA certified CPR Louisville. There are courses for both healthcare and non-healthcare providers. 

Congenital Heart Defect Facts:

1.      Not all heart problems in children are congenital but most are. Possible childhood heart problems include structural defects, acquired damage and heart rhythm disturbances. Children also can be born with or develop heart rate problems such as slow, fast or irregular heartbeats, known as “arrhythmias.”

2.      The reason behind the occurrence of CHD isn’t known. The reason is presumed to be genetic, only a few genes have been discovered that have been linked to heart defects. CHD due to ingestion of some drugs and the occurrence of some infections during pregnancy is very rare.

3.      You can tell if your baby or child has a congenital heart defect just in the first few months after birth. Some babies are blue or have very low blood pressure shortly after birth. Other defects cause breathing difficulties, feeding problems or poor weight gain.

4.      Most people with CHD live normal or nearly normal healthy lives with all children with simple defects surviving into adulthood. Some children with CHD may have developmental delay or learning difficulties.

5.      Successful treatment of CHD requires specialized care which means one should be ready with extensive financial resources. Additionally, a serious congenital heart defect can put an enormous emotional and financial strain on young families.

A few factors related to CHD may interfere with your baby’s growth like:

1.      Excessively rapid heart beat

2.      Increased respiratory rate

3.      Poor appetite

4.      Greater caloric needs

5.      Decreased food intake due to rapid breathing and fatigue

6.      Frequent respiratory infections, such as bronchitis or pneumonia

7.      Poor absorption of nutrients from the digestive tract

8.      Decreased oxygen in the blood, called hypoxia

Some children with CHD may have delays in development, learning disabilities or special educational needs but mostly, a child with CHD can attend school and participate fully. Keep in mind that diagnosing and treating congenital heart defects with surgery is costly, so remain prepared.

At CPR Louisville, either register online for a course 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.

Facts about Ischemic Heart Disease and Heart Conditions in Louisville, KY

Heart disease is the leading cause of a cardiac arrest or heart attack which are life-threatening cardiac emergencies. A victim would require immediate treatment for survival. It is only proper application of the life-saving CPR techniques that can lead to a victim’s survival. The techniques comprise chest compressions and rescue breaths. 

Being a resident of Louisville, you can sign up for a program at the AHA accredited CPR Louisville in Kentucky. Both theoretical and practical training are imparted to the students. A student will be eligible for a certification at the end of a program after successfully passing a skills test and a written exam.

Ischemic Heart Disease- Ischemia is a condition in which the blood flow (and thus oxygen) is restricted or reduced in a part of the body. Cardiac ischemia is the name for decreased blood flow and oxygen to the heart muscle. Ischemic heart disease is the term for heart problems caused by narrowed heart arteries. Narrowing of arteries causes less blood and oxygen to reach the heart muscle, this is also called coronary artery disease or coronary heart disease which can ultimately lead to heart attack. Ischemia often causes chest pain or discomfort known as angina pectoris.

Silent Ischemia- Many Americans have ischemic episodes unknowingly, they have ischemia without pain- this is called silent ischemia. They may have a heart attack with no prior warning. People with angina also may have undiagnosed episodes of silent ischemia. It is especially people who have had previous heart attacks or those with diabetes who are at risk for developing silent ischemia.

The problem can be diagnosed by having an exercise stress test or wearing a Holter monitor – a battery-operated portable tape recording that measures and records your electrocardiogram (ECG) continuously, usually for 24-48 hours. These are two tests often used to diagnose this problem.

Heart Conditions

The most common type of heart condition is coronary artery disease, which leads to heart attack with its major cause being Atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of plaque in the inner walls of the arteries. A cardiac rehab treatment plan mainly centers on reducing or minimizing atherosclerosis through lifestyle changes and medicines. Regardless of the heart condition that may have brought you to a cardiac rehab, gain awareness on how it actually developed which will help you to understand the importance to achieve your treatment goals.

Become aware of the following conditions:

        I.            Angina

      II.            Arrhythmia

    III.            Atherosclerosis

    IV.            Cardiac Arrest

      V.            Congenital Heart Defects

    VI.            Heart Attack (Coronary Heart Disease or Coronary Artery Disease)

  VII.            Heart Failure

VIII.            Heart Valve Disease

    IX.            Peripheral Artery Disease

After a cardiac event or surgery, it is important to follow-up with your medical team. People should go for health check-ups time-to-time to determine their risks for a heart attack or cardiac arrest. A healthcare professional will devise a proper treatment plan, following which can ensure a long shelf life on your part. Talk with your healthcare team about your concerns, ask questions and get the facts.

Join a CPR program today and gain the benefits. For more information, contact CPR Louisville on 502-804-6132.