Dr Jai Babu K: Strategies on cardiovascular events

Heart malfunctioning can result in life-threatening medical emergencies like cardiac arrest and heart attack. The latter, scientifically referred to as myocardial infarction, is a disturbance in blood circulation to the heart, with chest pain, nausea, and sweating as the chief symptoms. On the other hand, cardiac arrest is an electrical problem that disrupts the heartbeat and is characterized by the absence of a pulse, breathing, and consciousness. While a heart attack can cause cardiac arrest, other medical difficulties such as a severe allergic reaction, a drug overdose, or an electrolyte imbalance can also bring about this condition.

Whether it is a cardiac arrest or a heart attack, both require immediate medical attention. The most popular treatment strategies for both the cardiac crisis include:

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a technique that involves repeated and swift compressions with intense pressure by another person against the victim’s chest. This squeezes the heart, which helps restart the organ and restore the blood flow and oxygen supply.

Defibrillation is an electric shock administered to the heart through a device to normalize an irregular cardiac rhythm and is most effective if applied immediately upon the onset of the condition.

The major hindrance in averting mortality due to heart attacks and cardiac arrests is ignorance and unawareness of the people about the first-aid measures. The knowledge of CPR should not be confined to medical professionals. To ascertain preparedness to recognize and respond to a medical emergency, schooling, and graduation programs should include the fundamentals of CPR.

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