1. Chapter 7 Notes Cardiac Emergencies and Unconscious Choking
First Aid/CPR
Chapter 7 Notes
Cardiac Emergencies and Unconscious Choking

2. Fun Facts…or Not so Fun
Cardiovascular Disease is the leading cause of death in Americans.
61 Million Americans suffer from some form of cardiovascular disease.
About 950,000 Americans die of cardiovascular disease each year.
CPR only generates 1/3 of the normal blood flow to the brain.
Each minute that defibrillation is delayed reduces the chance of survival by about 10 percent.

4. Cardiovascular Disease
Definition: abnormal conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels.
Mainly coronary heart disease and stroke.
Cholesterol (fatty substance)  Atherosclerosis (cholesterol buildup on arteries)  Coronary Heart Disease (arteries are hardened and narrowed due to atherosclerosis)

5. The Cardiac Chain of Survival
Early recognition and early access; call 911 asap!
Early CPR; helps circulate blood.
Early defibrillation; an electric shock to jump start the heart.
Early advanced medical care; EMS and hospital.

6. Heart Attack Signs Signals can vary slightly from men to women.
Chest pain or discomfort; uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, tightness, aching, or heavy feeling.
Trouble breathing; faster than normal.
Pulse; faster, slower, or irregular.
Skin color; pale, ashen, or bluish, moist.
Vomiting or nausea
Signals can vary slightly from men to women.

7. Care for a Heart Attack Call 911
Have victim stop what they are doing and rest comfortably.
Loosen any restrictive clothing.
Monitor the victim until EMS arrives, note any changes in behavior.
Be prepared to perform CPR and AED.

8. Angina Pectoris
Definition: chest pain that comes and goes at different times; commonly associated with cardiovascular disease.
Nitroglycerin is often prescribed to patients who have angina.
It helps to widen the arteries.
The pill is placed under the tongue and will dissolve.
The patient can take 3 in 10 minutes, if pain continues after that call 911.

9. Cardiac Arrest
Definition: a condition in which the heart has stopped beating or beats too ineffectively to generate a pulse.
Causes
Cardiovascular Disease
Drowning
Suffocation
Drugs
Electrocution
Signs
Absence of signs of life
Unconsciousness
Not breathing
No pulse
Skin blue, ashen, pale, moist

10. CPR for an Adult Proper hand and arm positioning.
Compressions should go down 1 ½ to 2 inches.
100 compressions per minute (“one and two and three…and thirty”)
30 compressions and then 2 breaths, repeat for 2 minutes, then recheck for signs of life.
If two responders, trade off when tired.
Stop CPR when:
The scene is unsafe
The victim shows signs of life
An AED is available for use
Another rescuer takes over
You are too exhausted to continue
Watch Video and Practice!

11. Cardiac Emergencies in Children and Infants
Usually a respiratory emergency will occur first and then a cardiac emergency will occur due to the respiratory emergency.
Causes
Car accident
Drowning
Smoke Inhalation
Poisoning
Airway Obstruction
Firearm Injuries,
Fall
Asthma
Severe Epiglottitis (the flap that covers your throat when you swallow food)

12. CPR for Child
Proper hand and arm positioning
Compressions should go 1 to 1 ½ inches deep.
100 compressions per minute (“one and two and three…and thirty”)
30 compressions and then 2 breaths, repeat for 2 minutes, then recheck for signs of life.
If two responders, trade off when tired.
Stop CPR when:
The scene is unsafe
The victim shows signs of life
An AED is available for use
Another rescuer takes over
You are too exhausted to continue
Watch Video and Practice!

13. CPR for Infant
Correct finger and arm positioning
Compressions should go ½ to 1 inch deep.
100 compressions per minute (“one and two and three…and thirty”)
30 compressions and then 2 breaths, repeat for 2 minutes, then recheck for signs of life.
If two responders, trade off when tired.
Stop CPR when:
The scene is unsafe
The victim shows signs of life
An AED is available for use
Another rescuer takes over
You are too exhausted to continue
Watch Video and Practice!

14. Unconscious Choking
When a person is unconscious and not breathing you may discover that the breaths don’t go in.
Reposition head and try again, if they still don’t go in then assume that the airway is blocked.

15. Care for Unconscious Choking Adult and Child and Infant
Give 30 chest compressions based off of depth from CPR.
Look in victim’s mouth for object, remove if there.
Try and give two breaths. If breaths don’t go in repeat cycle of 30 compressions, check, and breath.
If breaths go in then check for signs of life for 10 seconds and continue care as needed.
Watch Video and Practice!!

16. The Heart’s Electrical System
Electrical Impulses travel through the heart.
These pulses can be monitored by and electrocardiograph (ECG)
Pathway of the electrical impulses:
Point of Origin, Sinoatrial node
Travels to the atrioventricular node
Divides into two paths, the right and left ventricles
These ventricles divide into purkinje fibers which spread the pulse across the heart making it contract and relax

17. When the Heart Fails
Damage to the heart disrupts the electrical rhythm thus giving the heart an abnormal rhythm.
Ventricular fibrillation (V-fib); total disruption of ventricles, no signs of life.
Ventricular tachycardia (V-tach); it is beating super fast, no signs of life.

18. Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
The sooner you use one the more likely the patient is to survive.
The AED can disrupt V-fib or V-tach allowing the heart to find a normal rhythm again.
If an abnormal rhythm is not disrupted then the heart will go into asystole and can not be revived.

19. Care with an AED Turn on AED
Wipe the victim’s chest dry and apply pads to victim’s chest.
Turn on AED and let analyze heart rhythm.
Listen and follow directions of machine.
Watch Video and Practice!!

20. AED on a Child

21. Precautions to Take with AED
Do not touch the victim while the AED is analyzing.
Do not touch the victim while the AED is defibrillation.
Do not use alcohol to wipe the victim’s chest.
Do not defibrillate someone around flammable or combustible materials.
Do not use an AED in a moving vehicle.
Do note use an AED on a victim in contact with water.
Do not use an AED on a child younger than 8 years old or any person weighing less than 55 lbs.
Do not use an AED on a person wearing a Nitroglycerin patch, remove patch.
Do not use a mobile phone within 6 feet of the AED.

22. Special Considerations
Implantable Devices; do not place pads where the device is.
Nitroglycerin Patches; take patch off before using AED.
Hypothermia; CPR and care for hypothermia as normal. May need to check for a pulse up to 30 seconds. Don’t shake victim – this could cause V-fib.
Trauma; Proceed as normal.

23. AED Maintenance Follow manufacturer’s recommendations.
Make sure you have good batteries.
Make sure you have the correct pads.
Check expiration dates.
After use make sure everything still works properly.
If at any time machine fails contact manufacturer.