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THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION (AHA): "Their mission is to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke". The cards for each course are certified through the AHA and are good for two years for both CPR/First Aid and AED.
CPR: CARDIO PULMONARY RESUSCITATION
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: Heart Attack is the leading cause of death in adults in the U.S. and every year more than 450,000 adult Americans die of a heart attack or its complication. About half or 250,000 of these deaths result from sudden cardiac arrest, which can occur within seconds of a heart attack, even before emergency personnel arrive. You may prevent death by knowing when to phone 911, when to begin CPR, knowing the chain of survival and taking updated classes every year. Source - AHA
STROKE: Stroke is the leading cause of death and serious disability among Americans. It is estimated that each year about 600,000 people have strokes and approximately of which 190,000 people die due to complications of strokes and this number is on the rise. Although most strokes occur in people over the age of 65, almost one third of all strokes do occur in younger adults less than 50. Quick response and medical treatment through the use of drugs may reverse brain damage if they reach medical care with hours of the onset of symptoms. Source - AHA
CHOKING: The mechanical obstruction of the flow of air from the environment into the lungs. Choking prevents breathing, and can be partial or complete, with partial choking allowing some, although inadequate, flow of air into the lungs. Prolonged or complete choking results in asphyxiation which leads to hypoxia and is potentially fatal. Source Wikipedia
DEFIBRILLATION: Definitive treatment for the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. Defibrillation consists of delivering a therapeutic dose of electrical energy to the heart with a device called a defibrillator or AED. This depolarizes a critical mass of the heart muscle, terminates the arrhythmia, and allows normal sinus rhythm to be reestablished by the body's natural pacemaker, in the sinoatrial node of the heart. Source -Wikepedia & AHA
AED DEFIBRILLATOR: A portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the potentially life threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a patient, and is able to treat them through defibrillation, the application of electrical therapy which stops the arrhythmia, allowing the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm. AEDs are designed to be simple to use for the layman and the use of AEDs is taught in many first aid, first responder and basic life support (BLS) level CPR classes. Source- Wikepedia
BARRIER DEVICES: A barrier device is one type of personal protective equipment designed to protect rescuers from exposure to infection when in close contact with victims. HIV and the hepatitis family of viruses are carried in blood and some other body fluids. Since there is no way to know if the victim of a cardiac arrest is carrying these or any other communicable diseases, it's wise to use a barrier device to keep body fluids out of the rescuer's mouth during rescue breathing.
WHAT TO DO IF ALONE - AHA CHAIN OF SURVIVAL:
ADULT VICTIM
1. Shout for help (and get an AED, if available)
2. Phone 911 (phone first and phone fast)
3. Begin CPR - Using New AHA Guidelines of C-A-B (Chest compressions first, Airway, Breathing)
CHILD OR INFANT VICTIM
1. Shout for help
2. Begin CPR - Using New AHA Guidelines of C-A-B (Chest compressions first, Airway, Breathing)
3. Phone 911 after 1 minute (phone fast)*If another rescuers are present send them to phone 911 while you begin CPR*