Posted On: 2021-08-18 11:48:03
Heartbeats are under the control of electrical impulses and when these impulses change their pattern, it leads to irregular heartbeat and the heart goes into a state known as arrhythmias. Under this state, the pumping of the heart is stopped or arrested and this is called cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest can be fatal if appropriate steps aren’t taken immediately.
Cardiac arrest is often misunderstood as a heart attack, though the major difference between these two is that heart attack is caused due to a blockage in the heart, restricting the blood circulation and cardiac arrest is caused due to irregular electrical impulses. Although a heart attack can trigger Cardiac arrest.
Signs of Cardiac Arrest
Immediate Signs of sudden cardiac arrest are:
Loss of consciousness
No pulse
No breathing
Sudden collapse
Signs occurring before cardiac arrest are:
Chest pain/ discomfort
Rapid or irregular heartbeats
Shortness of breath
Unexplained wheezing
Dizziness
Heart palpitations
Steps to take if see someone having a cardiac arrest
Call for medical help- The first thing you should do if you see someone having a cardiac arrest is calling for medical help. 911 is the number to call in the USA and 102 in India.
Perform CPR- After calling for medical help, immediately check for the person’s breath, if he/she isn’t breathing normally start performing CPR. Clash your hand in the center of the chest. Push hard and fast on the person’s chest at the rate of 100 to 120 compressions. Let the chest rise during the compressions. If you are trained in CPR, check the airways and deliver rescue breaths after every 30 compressions. If you aren’t trained, just continue doing the compressions till a defibrillator is available to you or medical help arrives.
Use portable defibrillator- If a defibrillator is available to you, keep it on charge and perform compressions till it is charged. When it’s charged, stop with the compressions and place the defibrillator’s pads after peeling their back above the right chest and below the left chest. The defibrillator will check the heart rhythm of the person and will give you step-by-step instructions through automated voice. If the defibrillator recommends a shock, stand back, push the shock button and continue with chest compressions for the next 2 minutes or more. The defibrillator will let you know if another shock is needed and if it does, continue the process if not, then do chest compressions till medical workers arrive. Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are generally available in many places such as shopping malls, train stations, airports, and other official public places. You can buy Portable AED for emergency purposes too.
Steps to prevent cardiac arrest in a long run
Eating a healthy diet
Staying active by exercising regularly
Reducing stress level
Stopping any type of consumption of alcohol and tobacco
Avoiding sugary and aerated drinks
Maintaining healthy weight
Post-Covid Cardiac arrest
Covid infects the heart cells and this leads to various cardiovascular complications such as cardiac arrest. Not only when the person is infected but also when the person is Covid-free. According to the Swedish study, the death rate of patients having a cardiac arrest in the hospital and out of the hospital increases 2.3 times and 3.4 times respectively within 30 days of being Covid-free. To be cautious, regular monitoring using an electrocardiogram (ECG) should be done for more than 30 days. Also, it is advised for people not to give CPR while treating a cardiac arrest as it may transmit Covid and to restrict only to chest compression till medical help arrives.
Not only aged people but also young children are at risk of having a cardiac arrest mainly due to their unhealthy lifestyles. Sometimes, heart-related problems might be genetic due to gene defects. Having accurate information about the diseases and what to do during these situations might help you save someone’s life.
“You never know how your little knowledge about something can save someone’s life”
Author : Hritika Singh
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