The Record Special Sections Health Quarterly 02-16-2020

NORTHJERSEY.COM ❚ SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2020 ❚ 13 HEALTH QUARTERLY / ADVERTISING SECTION In a Medical Emergency — Know The Signs and Save a Life By R.N. RAJAN Special to Health Quarterly I f you saw someone experienc- ing a heart attack, cardiac arrest or stroke, would you know what to do to help before first responders arrive? Fortunately, all it takes are a few simple but significant steps that could help save a life. HEART ATTACK OR CARDIAC ARREST Before you jump into action, it’s important to know whether you’re dealing with someone who’s expe- riencing a heart attack or cardiac arrest. While the terms may seem interchangeable, these two condi- tions are different. A heart attack is a “circulation” problem while sudden cardiac arrest is an “elec- trical” problem, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). The first thing to do, regard- less of whether it’s a heart attack or cardiac arrest, is to call 9-1-1. Have someone else call, if there is another person present. Someone having a heart attack may experience various symp- toms, including, but not limited to: chest discomfort; pain and dis- comfort in other parts of the upper body, such as the arms, back, neck, stomach, teeth, and jaw; sweating, nausea or vomiting; lightheadedness; anxiety; indiges- tion; and unexplained fatigue. Symptoms can vary among indi- viduals and especially between men and women. Nurse Marion Leary, volun- teer expert for the AHA, said if someone is having a heart attack, they may be able to talk and be responsive and they will still have a pulse. It’s important to try and keep the person calm and have them sit or lie down to be com- fortable. If the person is not aller- gic to aspirin, instruct them to chew and swallow a baby aspirin as it works faster when chewed and not swallowed whole. A cardiac arrest, however, is unmistakable. “The telltale signs and symp- toms of cardiac arrest are if someone seems unresponsive and is either not breathing or not breathing normally, or gasp- ing. The other sign is if someone has no pulse,” added Leary, who’s also director of innova- tion research for the Center for Resuscitation Science at the University of Pennsylvania and the innovation specialist at the University’s School of Nursing. If it is cardiac arrest, it is impor- tant to take the following steps immediately since it can mean the difference between life or death. CARDIAC ARREST The immediate and simplest treatment to provide is hands- only cardiopulmonary resuscita- tion (CPR). Also known as chest compressions, hands-only CPR involves placing both hands, palms down, one on top of the other, and pushing hard and fast in the center of the person’s chest. CPR and AED Training Can Make A Difference When Every Moment Counts Automated external defibrillator (AED) training was available during Chilton Medical Center’s recent “Take Your Child to Work Day” event. In the event of cardiac emergency, an AED is a medical device that can check the heart’s rhythm and, if required, administer an electric shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm. “The rate should be 100-120 compressions per minute,” Leary said. It’s important to continue per- forming the chest compressions for as long as you can until emer- gency personnel arrive. However, Leary acknowledged that may be easier said than done. “CPR takes a lot of energy and is really exhausting,” Leary explained. She advises having some- one else take over performing the chest compressions, if you become tired. If, however, there is no one else, continue to admin- ister the hands-only CPR until the first responders arrive. LOCATE AN AED The other important step to help someone suffering from car- diac arrest is to use an automated external defibrillator (AED), a medical device that can check the heart’s rhythm and, if required, administer an electric Through Atlantic Sports Cardiology’s Project Heartbeat program, which provides towns and local community groups with AEDs, Chilton Medical Center donated an AED to the Wayne Racquet Club when a member read about the benefits of having a lifesaving defibrillator on-site. shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm. Increasingly, AEDs are found in public places for use in the event of a cardiac emergency. If available, instruct someone to locate and bring an AED while you continue performing the hands- only CPR. If no one is available, try to locate an AED by quickly glancing around the room but don’t delay in performing hands- only CPR at this stage. If you have access to an AED, Dr. Christopher A. Lobaito, associ- ate medical director of Emergency Medicine at Atlantic Health System’s Chilton Medical Center, said oper- ating one is not difficult. “Most AEDs will provide step- by-step instructions once turned on, making it easy to use,” he said. “Essentially, you turn it on, place the pads on the patient where the diagram says to and, if the machine detects an abnormal rhythm that may benefit from a shock, it will tell you to push the button to deliver that shock.” “Make sure you are not touching the person when [the shock is de- livered],” Dr. Lobaito quickly added. By this time, first responders will hopefully have arrived to take over. See EMERGENCY Page 19

The Record Special Sections Health Quarterly 02-16-2020 | Page 13