HEART ATTACKS
What is a heart attack?
The heart is a muscle which needs a good blood flow to keep healthy. As we age, the smooth inner walls of the arteries that supply the blood to your heart muscle can become damaged and narrow due to the build up of fatty materials, called ‘plaque’ (mostly made of cholesterol). When an area of plaque cracks, blood cells and other parts of the blood stick to the damaged area and form blood clots. A heart attack occurs when a blood clot completely blocks the flow of blood and seriously reduces blood flow to the heart muscle. As a result, some of the heart muscle starts to die. Signs and Symptoms of a heart attack:
What is the difference between a heart attack and Cardiac Arrest?
A cardiac arrest occurs due to an electrical malfunction in the heart which causes an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). This means that the heart cannot consistently pump blood to the other vital organs in the body (brain, lungs, liver and kidneys). Other reasons why someone may undergo cardiac arrest are: thickened heart muscle (cardiomyopathy), heart failure, arrhythmias, particularly ventricular fibrillation, and long Q-T syndrome. The victim's pulse will begin to weaken very quickly and if not treated immediately, the result is death. |
STROKES
What is a stroke?
The blood travels into the brain through large blood vessels called arteries to deliver vital nutrients. A stroke occurs when there is a malfunction with the flow of blood into the brain. The artery can be interrupted because it it either blocked (ischaemic stroke) or it has burst (haemorrhagic stroke). This prevents the brain from receiving oxygen and shortly after the stroke, the brain cells die. The area of brain damage is called a cerebral infarct. Fortunately, some cells may last for a few hours and will be able recover. Signs and Symptoms of a stroke:
FAST stands for:
Why does a stroke tend to affect one side of the body?
There are four parts that make up the brain- the right hemisphere, the left hemisphere, the Cerebellum and the Brain Stem. The effect on the body depends on what part of the brain is targeted. The two main tasks that the right hemisphere of the brain performs include the left side of the body and perception. If a stroke affected this section of the brain the side effects would be:
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What First Aid/Treatment could I give someone suffering a heart attack or stroke?
- Convince the person to sit down and try to keep calm so their heart doesn't pump quickly.
- Ensure that the person's clothing is loose and comfortable
- Ask simple questions regarding their pain levels and where it is targeted at. Also find out if they are on medication for heart problems (e.g. nitroglycerin) and help them take it.
- Call for help (000) if the pain continues for longer than 3 minutes or if the person is unconscious/unresponsive.
- Begin CPR until ambulance arrives.