Learn this life-saving measure to celebrate World Heart Day on September 29
You can’t predict where you’ll be when someone has a heart attack or goes into cardiac arrest when the heart stops beating. With some education, you may be able to help.
But cardiac arrest isn’t the same thing as a heart attack. When a person has a heart attack, blood flow to the heart muscle has been blocked or significantly reduced. It’s usually the result of a blocked coronary artery brought on by the cardiovascular disease. Cardiac arrest means that the heart’s electrical system has stopped sending signals for the heart to beat.
A heart attack can sometimes progress to cardiac arrest, making CPR a potentially life-saving procedure. Learn more about how to save World Heart Day, September 29,
Is this an emergency?
A heart attack should always be considered a medical emergency. The longer the heart muscle is deprived of sufficient blood flow, the more lasting damage is likely to occur.
With prompt medical attention, surviving a heart attack is often possible. However, CPR should not be administered if the person is conscious and the heart is still beating on its own.
If someone around you has lost consciousness and is in cardiac arrest, it’s critically important to call emergency services immediately. The emergency dispatcher should walk you through the procedures to follow while paramedics head to your location.
Suppose someone around you shows signs of a heart attack, such as an offer to call medical help. Stay with them until help arrives or their symptoms subside.
When should you not do CPR?
CPR is inappropriate if someone is having a heart attack but is alert with a steady heartbeat. In a case like this, you may do more harm to the heart than if you did nothing and waited for paramedics to arrive.
Also, if you have been performing CPR and the person shows signs of life, such as open eyes and regular breathing, stop CPR immediately. Allow the person to wake up or become alert but be prepared if the individual’s heart stops beating again.
A 2020 analysis of 141 studies found that while the survival rate of people receiving CPR has increased in recent years, it is still well below 50 percent. For example, the analysis found that the average 1-year survival rate for people who underwent CPR was only 13.3 percent from 2010 to 2019.
However, the American Heart Association suggests that if CPR is performed in the moments after someone goes into cardiac arrest, the chances of survival are double or triple what they would be if that person waited for paramedics or treatment in an emergency department.
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