When someone has a heart attack, there is a limited amount of time in which to react. Do you know how to recognize symptoms and what to do if someone is having a heart attack? Become a Heart Helper!
In the United States, heart attacks near the top of the list of the most common causes of death. Despite this fact, should a heart attack occur, most people are unprepared to address the situation.
Statistics collated and examined by the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, attribute 47% of sudden cardiac deaths to events that do not happen in hospitals or professional healthcare facilities.
The significance of this is that over half of such deaths are occurring in settings where there are no healthcare professionals trained to spot the warning signs of a heart attack, providing the best possible chances of early intervention.
Most health care professionals have had enough training in, at the minimum, Basic Life Support (BLS) to have attained certification. Further certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ALS), Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) are among the many disciplines of life support training commonly available to those in the health care field.
Despite so many types of life saving certifications being available to train in, there is still no guarantee that should a cardiac crisis occur, someone trained in relevant life saving techniques will be on site a cardiac arrest occurs. This highlights the importance of making as many people aware of what the early symptoms of a heart attack are.
The infographic which has been included here is designed to be a helpful reminder to raise awareness regarding not just the early warning signs of a heart attack, but the proper steps and individual should take if they are encountered.
Study the chart and then pass it along to spread awareness. By sharing our “Heart Attack Helper”, you may help save a life!
(You can also visit these links for more information.)
American Heart Association: Warning Signs of a Heart Attack
American Heart Association: AHA Statistical Update
Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Heart Disease Facts
HealthCentral: Heart Attack: Symptoms