Cardio Exercises that you can do At Home

Finding effective exercises that you can do from the comfort of your own home can be an attractive option to many people, as they offer simplicity and convenience, as well as a way for people to save time and money. The real issue is looking for ways to workout at home when you may not have professional equipment or a lot of space on hand. Often, you will find that you need to be a little more creative if you want to exercise at home, however there are numerous accessible and effective cardio activities that you can do to burn calories, get in shape, and lose unwanted weight.

I’m not telling you it is going to be easy, I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it

  1. Jump Rope

Jump rope is an incredibly simple activity that you can do home, and may even bring you back to the innocent days of your youth. You don’t have to chant any rhymes, just turn a rope with handles and jump over it repeatedly. It’s fantastic cardio, capable of burning as many as 220 calories in twenty minutes, and what’s more, jump ropes are very inexpensive, and don’t require any special skills for use. All you need is a good pair of shoes, a jump rope, some patience and practice. Remember however, that jump rope is a high-impact activity and will require some getting used to. It often looks easier, but can be more difficult when you get around to trying it yourself. Once you’ve become an expert, you can think about variations like alternating feet or jumping with high knees.

  1. Jumping Jacks

Another jump-based exercise, jumping jacks involve repeatedly jumping while circling your arms over your head, and back to your hips. This type of exercise can burn around 100 calories in ten minutes, and you don’t need any skill or equipment whatsoever. To get going, all you’ll need is a sturdy floor and a reliable pair of shoes. Jumping jacks are high in impact, which can be taxing on the joints, but once you’ve gotten used to them, try doing them while holding a medicine ball for an extra challenge.

‘I’m not loosing weight.  I’m getting rid of it.  I have no intention of finding it again’

  1. Jogging or Running in Place

Running or Jogging on the spot is simple and easy, but also capable of getting your heart rate up to a preferable level. It’s also the ideal way to warm your body up for more intense forms of exercise. All you need is a good pair of shoes and a sturdy floor. If you start to get bored of running in place, you can try different variations, such as bringing your knees up high, raising your arms overhead or running with wide knees.

  1. Mountain Climbers

To perform this motion, push your knees in and out from a push-up position. Mountain climbers help to raise your heart rate while building endurance and strength in your core. All you need to get them done is a strong pair of wrists. It is worth remembering however that this activity can be taxing on the shoulders, arms and wrists, so don’t push too far too fast.

 

 

 

Benefits of Good Cardiorespiratory Fitness

 Cardiorespiratory fitness, when combined with muscle endurance, strength, body composition and flexibility make up the five most crucial components of physical health and fitness. Often referred to as aer25637_28obic, endurance or cardio exercise, cardiorespiratory activities, this form of exercise relies upon the ability of your body to provide yourself with enough oxygen to engage in sustained exercise.

When you do regular cardiorespiratory exercise, your lungs, heart and circulatory system work more effectively to deliver oxygen-rich blood to the muscles of your body. There are a wide range of activities you can choose from for this exercise, including biking, running, swimming, dancing and circuit training. Of course, choosing something that you enjoy will motivate you more effectively to stick to your program. So what are the benefits of good cardiorespiratory fitness?

Increased Life Span

Even if you’re already at a healthy weight level for your height and age, cardiorespiratory fitness is an essential part of maintaining your overall health. According to studies conducted within the United States, men who had poor levels of cardio fitness were far more likely to die from numerous causes (twice as likely), than those who were cardio-fit.

Decreased Risk of Diabetes

Researchers in Michigan published a paper regarding the health benefits of regular cardiorespiratory exercise in a journal for the Mayo clinic. The paper confirmed that a lack of aerobic fitness in individuals can prompt negative changes in the metabolic system that in turn may lead to type 2 diabetes. Experts maintain that by engaging in regular cardiorespiratory activity, you can improve your glucose regulation, and insulin sensitivity, thereby reducing your diabetes risk.

Better Bone Health

By engaging in moderate aerobic activities such as jogging or swimming for up to 150 minutes every week, you may be able to avoid suffering from various bone complications, including hip fractures. According to the centers for disease control and prevention, exercising in such a way helps to maintain the strength of your bones by slowing the rate at which bone density is lost.

Reduced Chance of Metabolic Syndrome

Regular workouts regarding endurance can be helpful in preventing metabolic syndrome, according to the CDC. Metabolic syndrome can be recognized as a combination of medical conditions including excess waist fat, high blood pressure and high levels of cholesterol and blood sugar. The condition can put you at risk of developing diabetes early, because it makes your cells more resistant to insulin. You may also find that heart complications can occur as a side effect of metabolic syndrome, such as strokes or heart disease.

Promotes Weight Loss

According to a number of experts, dancing, running and swimming are some of the best endurance exercises for helping you to burn more calories and lose excess weight. Usually, a single pound of fat can be equated to around three thousand five hundred calories. Thereby, you can lose a pound a week by cutting five hundred calories out of your diet every day. Endurance exercises and cardiorespiratory fitness can help you burn anywhere up to 872 calories an hour, depending on the intensity of the activity or sport, and your initial body weight.

Healthy eating and exercise benefits

Healthy-Food-1

Keeping yourself physically active through regular exercise routines, and ensuring the proper nourishment of your body with a healthy diet can lead to a host of wonderful benefits, including happiness, increased energy, improved health, and even extra years of life. Diet and exercise are essential when determining a person’s overall health, and making the careful consideration of both an integral part of your lifestyle can have a huge impact on how you look and feel.

According the department of human and health services in the United States, a healthy diet should generally consist of plenty of fruit and vegetables, whole-grains, lean meats, and dairy products that are low in fat. On top of eating well however, you need to minimize your cholesterol, sugar, sodium and fat consumption with regular exercise. Here are just some of the benefits of consistent exercise and healthy eating.

  1. Improved Weight  
Healthy-Food-3

If you suffer from excess weight, or have been established as clinically overweight, eating well and exercising more often can help you to remove that excess bulk and keep it off. If you don’t already have a weight-related problem, then healthy diet and exercise can help you to maintain a healthy weight and reduce your chances of struggling with gains when you are older. Healthy food is often higher in nutrients and lower in calories than other foods, and regular physical activities can burn off extra calories to hone your physique.

  1. More Energy

According to the Institute of Digestive Kidney Diseases and Diabetes, a combination of eating healthy foods and working out can help to kick-start your energy levels and ensure that you feel more aware and alert throughout the day on a physical and mental level. Healthy foods give your body the vitamins and nutrients it needs to function at optimum levels.

  1. Better Mood
Healthy-Food-2

Exercise is often recommended for people who suffer from instances of anxiety and depression, due to the fact that physical activity can stimulate chemicals in the brain which produce feelings of happiness and relaxation. The more often you work out, the better you will feel. Physical activity, when combined with healthy eating practices can also be an excellent way of improving your physical appearance as you burn through excess weight, and gain muscle and tone. This is a significantly important factor when it comes to boosting your self-confidence.

  1. Diversity

Committing yourself to healthy eating practices and exercise routines is a great way to get yourself out of a rut if you feel as though you’re starting to get bored with your current lifestyle. By seeking out new, active hobbies and finding creative ways to be more physically active, you ensure that you find more diverse and interesting activities. Go dancing with friends, join in with a local sports team, or exercise with co-workers, and you will find that your health improves, but alongside that, so too will your relationships with other people. What’s more, following a healthy diet brings up the opportunity to join culinary and cooking classes, visit organic and healthy markets, and more.

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CNA CPR certification classes at over 13 class locations across Florida

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In-Pulse CPR is one of the largest providers of approved CNA CPR certification classes in the state of Florida.  We currently offer classes across the Tampa Bay area (multiple locations), Orlando, Ocala, Ft Myers, Lakeland, and many other sites across the state.

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CNA CPR certification classes at over 13 class locations across Pennsylvania

Nursing Assistant CPR certification classes

In-Pulse CPR is one of the largest providers of approved CNA CPR certification classes in the state of Pennsylvania.  We currently offer classes across central and Eastern Pennsylvania including Harrisburg, York, Lancaster, Allentown, West Chester, King of Prussia, and many other sites across the state.

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Our classes are complete and 100% accepted by all CNA employment and educational requirements across Pennsylvania.

Certified Nursing Assistant CPR

BLS CPR classes for Certified Nurse Aide (CNA), Home Health Aide & CPR Certification, Nursing homes, Personal Care Homes , Assisted Living Facilities, Home Health Care agencies, Hospice care agencies, Private Home Care, and hospitals.

CNA CPR certification classes at over 13 class locations across Minnesota

Nursing Assistant CPR certification classes

In-Pulse CPR is one of the largest providers of approved CNA CPR certification classes in the state of Minnesota.  We currently offer classes across the Twin Cities (multiple locations), Duluth, St Cloud, Rochester, and many other sites across the state.

 

Click here to View our Class Calendar

 

Our classes are complete and 100% accepted by all CNA employment and educational requirements across Minnesota.

Certified Nursing Assistant CPR

BLS CPR classes for Certified Nurse Aide (CNA), Home Health Aide & CPR Certification, Nursing homes, Personal Care Homes , Assisted Living Facilities, Home Health Care agencies, Hospice care agencies, Private Home Care, and hospitals.

February is American Heart Month

– a time when people all over the country take a closer look at getting heart healthy.

  • On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a heart attack every 34 seconds.*
  • About every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke.*

*Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, 2014 Update, American Heart Association

Consider an active and healthy eating lifestyle.  Here are a few stories to help keep your new years resolutions on fitness and eating:

 

 

 

Children and Energy Drinks Do not Mix according to Poison Control Data

Over 40% of all reports regarding energy drinks and U.S. poison control centers involve instances of children beneath the age of six suffering from severe neurological and cardiac symptoms, according to a study presented by the Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association in 2014.

The somewhat excessive representation of youths is worrying, concerning the number of reports that have emerged regarding serious neurological and cardiac symptoms, according to M.D. Steven Lipshultz, the senior author of the study, and chair of pediatrics at Wayne State University. Lipshultz is also a professor, and chief pediatrician at the Detroit Children’s hospital of Michigan.

Researchers involved in the study carefully analyzed the records between October 2010 and September 2013 regarding the American Association of Poison Control Center’s national data system. This system includes various information calls about energy exposures from healthcare providers and the public to 55 poison control centers in the US. The term ‘exposure’ here refers to the suspected or actual contact an individual has with a substance that has been inhaled, ingested, applied to, absorbed or injected within the body, regardless of clinical manifestation or toxicity. As a result of their analysis, researchers discovered:

  • Major to moderate outcomes had been reported in approximately 42% of cases considering energy drinks that may have been mixed with alcohol and 19% of non-alcohol containing cases.
  • Within the 5156 cases that were reported of energy drink exposure, around 40% were unintentional exposures by younger children (e.g. unplanned or unforeseen).
  • Throughout all age groups that suffered major outcomes, cardiovascular effects, which include conduction abnormalities and abnormal heart rhythms were reported in 57% of all cases. Neurological effects such as seizures and status epilepticus were reported in 55%.

According to the study, energy drinks should not be a part of any pediatric diet, and anyone who may suffer with underlying neurological, cardiac or other medical conditions should consult their healthcare provider regarding the safety of consuming energy drinks.

Some energy drinks contain caffeine of a pharmaceutical grade, as well as additional caffeine taken from natural sources, which can lead to increased rates of blood pressure and a racing heart. Energy drinks that use multiple sources of caffeine have been linked to a higher evidence of side effects, involving the digestive, nervous and cardiovascular systems.

According to Lipshultz, some energy drinks contain around 400mg of caffeine per bottle or can, compared to the 100-150 found in a cup of coffee. Caffeine poisoning can take place in individuals that consumer higher levels than 400mg a day in adults, and higher than 100mg a day in adolescents. For children younger than twelve, caffeine poisoning can take place at over 2.5mg per kilogram of body weight.

Up to now, researchers do not know whether the compounds aside from the caffeine included in energy drinks could contribute to the ill effects that have been noted. Many ingredients have never been tested for their safety in relation to children, and have not been tested in combination either. In 2010, the Food and Drug administration board within the United States banned any pre-packaged energy drinks including alcohol. Since this date, calls made to poison control centers have dropped significantly, supporting the effectiveness of the ban. However, some people still continue to mix their own custom alcoholic energy drinks.

Reports given to poison control centers in the U.S. widely underestimate the issue regarding energy drinks, because a lot of people who suffer illnesses as a result of these beverages do not call the hotlines, and visits to emergency rooms are not included within the statistics. Because of this, the reported data given could only represent the very tip of the iceberg.

Researchers have recently called for the improved labeling of caffeine content drinks, as well as notes regarding the potential health consequences. The hope is to increase the efforts to reduce the exposure of children to energy drinks.

 

 

Emphasizing Full Recoil in CPR Instruction is Essential to Saving Lives

According to a consensus statement issued by the American Heart Association in 2010, high-quality CPR is comprised of certain critical elements. These components emphasize that the emergency responder:

  • Minimize the interruptions in chest compressions;
  • Supply chest compressions of a sufficient rate and depth;
  • Avoid excessive ventilation; and
  • Avoid leaning between compressions.

While it is clear that high-quality CPR leads to survival from a heart attack, there are still some variations as to how caregivers monitor and implement the steps. As a result, the quality of the CPR can vary widely between systems and locales.

In turn, victims do not obtain the high-quality CPR they need due to ambiguity. Therefore, to dispel any misinformation, it is important to address specific key issues with respect to CPR quality, including:

  • Monitoring:
  • Feedback;
  • The patient’s response to CPR; and
  • The metrics related to the activity.

By defining the methods and metrics used to deliver and improve CPR quality, the gap can be narrowed between the science of resuscitation and the victim, thereby improving the quality of care as well as survival rates.

This kind of the information is further supported by CPR research. For example, one news report out of Chicago showed that 60% of bystanders failed to provide enough force on a victim’s breastbone in order to revive him.

According to the trial, which was conducted by Fernando Perez, MD and Robert H. Trenkamp, Jr, EMT-P, leaning, when used in CPR, ranged from around 1.5 pounds, (which constituted a minor issue) to around 19.5 pounds (an important problem). As a result, full recoil was not achieved.

Leaning, or using excessive force on the sternum at the top of recoil, is related with factors that reduce survival rates. Most of the trial participants, who showed excessive leaning on the first trial, proved to control their tendency toward leaning during follow-up. If a subject averaged more than 1.5 pounds of leaning during testing, he was coached and re-tested. A pressure of 0.5 pounds was considered safe.

So, why is full recoil important? Full recoil is required so the blood can re-fill the heart’s chambers between compressions. Therefore, full recoil is essential because, as the chest is elevated, the negative pressure that is exerted actually causes the blood to be drawn back into the heart. As a result, you can liken the activity to using a plunger and pulling back on it in a water-clogged sink. Full recoil permits the optimum output of blood when performing CPR.

Fortunately, according to the study, almost 80% of the subjects who did not achieve full recoil during the initial trial were able, after coaching, to succeed at the activity. The results of this study support the need for emergency personnel, who are educating witnesses of cardiac events, to emphasize full recoil during training activities. CPR instructors who teach the subject, as well, should make sure that their students fully realize the implications connected with the activity.

CPR Helps Austin Daughter Save Her Dad’s Life

 

A Life-changing Event

One news report out of Austin Texas resulted in a life-changing experience for Michael DeMarco, 42, and his daughter, Aly DeMarco, aged 13. An event, which happened on February 14, 2014, will cause the pair to definitely remember future Valentine holidays. Ironically, on the heart-filled occasion, a person’s life was saved from a sudden cardiac arrest.

The Difference between a Cardiac Arrest and a Heart AttackMichael DeMarco

While a cardiac arrest and heart attack are thought to be one and the same, they are defined differently. A heart attack refers to the damage that is caused to the heart muscle from a lack of circulation. The condition generally occurs when an arterial clot forms and blocks the flow of blood. Chest pain is the main symptom associated with the anomaly.

Cardiac arrest, on the other hand, occurs, when the blood stops being pumped through the heart and body. In turn, the blood pressure begins to fall and the patient loses consciousness. That is what happened to Michael DeMarco on Valentine’s Day 2014.

Another Reason Why CPR is Important to Know

Dr. Robert Canby, an electrophysiologist at the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute (TCAI) further explained the condition. He added, “Sudden cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly goes into an unstable rhythm, [or] where it cannot supply enough blood to the brain [and] . . . the [rest of the] body.” He said that the rate of survival for the sudden attack was “abysmal.” Patients remain conscious for approximately 10 seconds, and only have that amount of time to obtain help.

Saving a Life Using CPR

Fortunately, Aly was able to help her Dad by calling 911. She said that she placed the phone on speaker and followed the instructions for counting compressions while waiting on the ambulance. According to Dr. Canby, Aly is definitely a reason that her father is alive.

Life-saving Methods and Technologies

When emergency responders arrived on the scene, they used a defibrillator to help revive Michael before transporting him to the emergency room for care. After placing Michael into an induced coma, he was transferred to TCAI where he received a defibrillator implant.

The implant is now used to protect Michael from a future cardiac event. The technology, which also monitors the heart’s rhythm, supplies shock therapy if the rhythm falls out of sync. According to DeMarco, the innovative device is his “safety net.” Evidently, CPR was a life saver as well.

Public CPR Classes in Allentown PA

We offer CPR certification at over 13 locations across central Pennsylvania

Offering CPR training in Greater Lehigh Valley near Nazareth, Easton, Phillipsburg, & Bethlehem

At In-Pulse CPR we take pride in our quality of teaching. We use the latest technology and state-of-the-art equipment to provide for an interactive, experiential learning environment. We make sure that each student leaves the classroom feeling confident in the skills they gained.  Our classes are fun too!

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Heartsaver CPR

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Hospitals and collages in the area: Sacred Heart Hospital of Allentown, Lehigh Valley Health Services, Surgery Center of Allentown, St Lukes Hospital & Health Network, St. Luke’s Warren Hospital, Coordinated Health Bethlehem, Coordinated Health Hazleton, DeSales University, Strayer University, Cedar Crest College, Lincoln Technical Institute

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The Hollywood Heart Attack

New Information has Revealed that Heart Attacks for Men and Woman are Different

You’ve seen it dozens of times before, plastered across your television screen: the agonized grimace, the surprise collapse, and the painful grasping at one’s chest. In the world of medicine, it’s called the Hollywood Heart Attack. For one woman’s beloved husband, a doctor himself who became a patient in a matter of moments, it was the initial step in a five-year medical journey of cardiac crises, leading to a final destination in 1978.

In years that followed that experience, Martha Lear believed, like most do, that what she had seen was the norm in the world of heart attacks. The assumption that the Hollywood Heart Attacks the paradigm of how cardiac arrest was meant to take place only experienced a change a couple of years ago, when she experienced her own.

She reported her attack to be far different from her husbands, starting with no problems one moment, then feeling somewhat out-of-sorts the next, with a fluttering sensation in her stomach that rose up to her throat. She experienced chills, a small amount of pressure in her chest, vomiting, and some unexpected diarrhea. There was no TV screen drama involved, just a bunch of different symptoms that created a situation she couldn’t quite name. Perhaps the flu, or a bad bite to eat, maybe even too much wine. Yet, her experience and the pressure on her chest prompted her to ask her second husband whether it may have been a heart attack.

Slight Chest Pressure

Although he said that the issue was probably little more than a stomach bug, the pressure on her chest continued to nag at her. She called her doctor and confessed her symptoms, hoping for an answer. After mentioning her diarrhea, a symptom that doesn’t typically present in heart attacks, the doctor commented that the situation didn’t sound much like a heart problem. However, he recommended that she get some sleep, and visit the surgery for an EKG in the morning.

As the pressure began to ease, she fell asleep and woke up the next morning without much complaint, deciding to have the test simply because she had agreed to it already. Of course, she didn’t expect any bad news, but the echocardiogram and EKG given by the doctor had other plans, it had been a ‘substantial heart attack’, not massive, but definitely more than mild.

Within moments, she was living a De Ja Vu of her husband’s problems, sitting within the same hospital her husband, Harold Lear, had worked and died in, in the same unit, speaking to the very same cardiologist. After a stent was implanted within one of her occluded arteries, Martha quickly recovered, and was told she would be allowed to leave the hospital in four days. However, a bad infection kept her trapped for four weeks instead, enough time for her to update her education about the female heart.

The Biggest Threat to Woman

The first thing she learned was that the biggest killer of women in America was not actually breast cancer, as is believed in a lot of circles. It’s actually heart disease. Although the American Heart Association often tells Americans about how important it is to look after their hearts, most are too busy being concerned about cancer that they don’t have time to worry about other potential issues. Yet, the truth is that the heart kills more people than all of the different kinds of cancer combined.

The second thing she learned, was that her heart attack, and her husbands, were wonderful demonstrations of how strikingly different cardiac problems can be between the genders. Where men typically suffer from crushing pain, women experience nausea, and women are more likely to experience warning signs such as fatigue and insomnia. Women, she found, were more likely to die within a year of experiencing a heart attack, and their experience could be so varied that most did not seek out help until it was too late.

In an effort to discover more, Martha began to speak to doctors and keep a journal of her findings. A practitioner told her that anything from the space beneath her nose, to the area above her pelvis could constitute a symptom of a heart attack in a woman. That includes the abdomen, diaphragm, arms, chest, shoulders, back, throat, neck, and jaw.

Obviously, Martha found the news terrifying, but her nurse told her that it was just ‘information’, and information was important. It helps people to care for themselves.

Still, nobody is quite sure why the differences between genders exist. Some believe that it is because women have slimmer arteries than men, or because their hearts beat faster. However, the solid evidence just isn’t there, and the reason for this is gender bias. Until quite recently, there wasn’t a sufficient deal of research on heart attacks in women, simply because medical professionals did not believe that women suffered from cardiac arrest.

Research studies used subjects that were all male, and when women and men reported the same symptoms, the men were treat aggressively and the women were given a psychiatric diagnosis. In a survey of doctors given in 1996, two thirds had no idea about the differences in heart attacks between men and women.

A Serious Point of Concern

Medicine didn’t begin to change until 2001, when a study given by the United States Institute of medicine found a legitimate gender bias in all areas of medical research. Now there has been some improvement, although women still only make up about 24% of participants in studies related to the heart.

What we do know is that nearly half a million women every year suffer from heart disease, and it is crucial for them to seek help as fast as possible. The symptoms for a heart attack in a woman could include shoulder, neck, belly, and back pain, but there is very little in the way of determining whether a back pain is just a back pain, or a sign of a heart attack.

Martha’s doctor suggested that, although people shouldn’t rush out to report every single problem they might suffer, it is important to be aware of symptoms that they haven’t experienced before. If something is new, it’s important to phone a doctor and tell them about it. After all, you don’t necessarily have to be scared, but you should always be informed.

 

The Biggest Killer in the US – Its not Hollywood

In medical spheres throughout the world, there is a certain issue known as the ‘Hollywood Heart-attack’. You’ve probably seen this before, the clutching chest, sudden collapse and grimace of agony that comes with every on-screen cardiac arrest.

For Lear, who began as a doctor and turned quickly into a patient, the Hollywood heart-attack was the first step in five years of medical narration, from one cardiac issue to the next, ending with that final stop in 1978. For whatever reason, in the years that followed, I continued to believe that the symptoms surrounding that Hollywood attack were the norm, and paradigm of how heart-attacks were meant to look and feel.

cameramanHowever, I quickly realized that I was wrong, two years ago, when I experienced my own heart attack for the first time. For me, one minute I was fine, and the next I was feeling strangely unwell, suffering from a fluttering sensation at the base of my chest that rose upwards towards the throat. I felt a mild pressure on my chest, followed by chills and sudden nausea, mixed with diarrhea.

There was no serious drama, no clutching my heart, just a bunch of different things that added up to a feeling I couldn’t quite name. It could have been a bad spot of seafood, too much wine or even the flu, but the pain in my chest made me ask my second husband whether what I was experiencing could be a heart attack. Of course, he suggested that such a thing was ridiculous, and told me it was just a stomach bug.

Yet, despite all of this, the slight pressure that I had experienced in my chest weighed on me, and I decided to contact my doctor to report my symptoms. After mentioning the diarrhea, which is a symptom that doesn’t often present in cardiac arrest, my doctor told me that the issue didn’t sound like a problem with my heart. He suggested that I saw the issue through for a little longer and went in for an EKG in the morning.

Eventually, the pressure did ease, and I slept through and woke the next morning feeling a lot better. I only went for the test that my doctor had suggested because I agreed to it, but I was fully expecting that I heartattack1would be told I was fine. However, the echocardiogram and the EKG said something entirely different. Apparently I had suffered a substantial heart attack. Not massive, not mild, but somewhere in between. Both me and my doctor were shocked.

Suddenly, I was trapped in a re-run, receiving treatment in the same hospital where my first husband had worked and died, in the same unit with the same cardiologist. The only thing that was different was the new husband wheeling me through the corridors. I had a stent implanted within an occluded artery and recovered quickly, with my doctor clearing me to leave in four days. However, after acquiring an infection, I ended up staying for about four weeks. That time helped me to learn a great deal more about women health and hearts.

The first surprise I learned was that the biggest killer of women in America was actually heart disease, not breast cancer, as many believe. It’s not much of a surprise really, when you consider how much the American Heart Association continues to tell us about looking after our hearts. Perhaps we all spend so much time worrying about cancer, that we don’t have time to be concerned about our hearts too. The truth is that the heart kills more people than every kind of cancer combined.

The second surprise I came across was that my heart attack and my first husband’s attack were textbook examples of how different the issues could be between the two genders. Men are more likely to suffer with a crushing pain, whereas women experience nausea. Women are also more likely to experience warning signs early than men, such as fatigue, and apparently, women are also more likely to die within a year of having a heart attack than men. Our symptoms are often so different and varied that we don’t actually know what it is we’re suffering from, which means that we do not feel fear or seek the help that we need. Though more men do suffer from heart attacks, a greater percentage of women actually die because of them.

A nurse told me that any issue between the nose and the pelvis could be a symptom of a heart attack in women. This encompassed the neck, jaw, back, shoulders, throat, arms, chest, abdomen and diaphragm. When I suggested how terrifying this information actually was, she told me that it wasn’t meant to frighten me, just inform me. After all, it’s important to be informed.

There are many theories as to why differences exist between the genders when it comes to cardiac arrests. Some people believe that it is because the arteries of a woman are typically much narrower than men’s, or because the microvascular system does not function as well. Some people suggest it is because a woman’s heart beats faster, or because it takes longer to settle between each beat. However, the real reason is left a mystery. In a survey of doctors that was conducted in 1996, two thirds of them were not aware of the differences that exist between genders when it comes to understanding heart attacks.

Until this millennium, there was little to no research on how heart attacks occur within women because the medical community, at large believed that females did not suffer heart attacks at all. When, in the 1950s, the American Heart Association introduced its first pamphlet, the information was given the title, ‘The way to a man’s heart’. Most studies used subjects that were all males, and men who suffered abnormal results were treated more aggressively than women who reported similar symptoms. When women reported these symptoms, they were two times more likely to receive a psychiatric diagnosis.

The first surprise I learned was that the biggest killer of women in America was actually heart disease, not breast cancer, as many believe.

Medicine didn’t really start catching up to the heart until 2001, following a study that was issued by the institute of medicine in the United States. This study analyze a lot of data to confirm a gender bias in various areas of medical research, urging a change.

The fact that we already know is that nearly half a million women every year suffer from heart disease. With numbers as high as this, it is essential to get help fast. The symptoms that can contribute to heart disease can include shoulder pain, neck pain, belly pain and back pain. However, what we do not know is when that back pain is actually a warning sign of a heart problem, or just a regular back issue. My doctor suggests that we shouldn’t be seeking help for every little problem, but if you do experience a new symptom, unlike one you’ve had before, speak to a doctor. It’s important to be informed.

Safer Construction Sites are First Built with CPR and AED Training

According to OSHA, approximately one in five workplace deaths happens on a construction site.  There are many health emergencies that can happen to construction injuryworkers including heart attack, stroke, electrocution, dismemberment, breaks, and sprains, etc.  By training the staff on how to respond to cardiac and first aid emergencies, businesses can help protect themselves against financial losses and, more importantly, save lives.

The American Heart Association provides courses designed to train staff on what to do in the event of an emergency.   The Heartsaver® course is ideal for training construction workers in CPR, AED, First Aid, and Bloodborne Pathogens.  In-Pulse CPR, a local American Heart Training Center, can assist in scheduling one of these 5 hour trainings for your business.  Contact us online today or call us at 877-226-7311 for more information.

 

Family of Lost Teen Calls for Further Use of CPR and AEDs

morganwilson
Morgan Wilson dies at age of 17 when her heart stops. If staff had adequate training in CPR and access to an AED, she might be alive today.

Several factors can lead to an individual’s heartbeat or breathing unexpectedly coming to a halt, from blood infections, to heart attacks, to simple accidents. Even when the cause of a cardiac arrest isn’t known, there is still a way to reduce the chances of the situation being fatal, if only someone nearby administers CPR immediately, and if available, uses an AED.

Eight days after she collapsed outside of the center where she was taking lessons for Tennis, Morgan Wilson passed away. She was just preparing to do some sprints after completing a round of laps at Boysen Park, when the teenager suddenly collapsed and suffered from a cardiac arrest. At this point, her family still doesn’t know why the event occurred, as Wilson was such a healthy young woman. At seventeen years of age, Morgan had established herself as both a track and field, and varsity tennis athlete. Although she would have been a senior at Esperanza this fall, as a junior, Wilson had already achieved so much, participating in events such as hurdles, the long jump and the 100 meters, as well as acting as captain for the girls’ tennis team.

Her family believe strongly that if the center she had been practicing at was equipped to help Morgan, by offering immediate CPR in the precious minutes before the paramedics arrived on scene, or using a defibrillator, she may have survived the attack. Although she was revived before being transferred to the UCI, Wilson had begun to suffer from serious brain damage at that point, and was put into a medically induced coma as a result of her critical condition. Heartbroken, the family are currently doing their best to prevent others from suffering the same regrets that they have, campaigning that more AEDs (automated external defibrillators) be available for use throughout athletic training. To encourage more people to learn the potentially life-saving skill, the family has even arranged a memorial fund that will help to pay for the cost of more people receiving training in CPR.

Unwilling to accept her limitations, Morgan Wilson constantly challenged herself, according to her family, and always pushed herself as far as she could go. Debbie Wilson, her mother, noted that her child had even found a way to get a little more out of life in her final acts, by signing the donor space on her driver’s license, although her family hadn’t known about it. According to the OneLegacy recovery agency, Morgan’s liver and kidneys saved three lives. Her mother went on to announce that Morgan was going to save some more lives as well through the CPR fund that will be reachable at Esperanza high school. She commented that parents should make sure that the people they are trusting to care for their children know the basics of CPR and how to administer it. The family encourages others to ask around at athletic facilities and schools to see if they have AEDs on site, as they could save their children’s lives.