CPR and first aid app

Whether you've recently taken a CPR class and/or first aid training or you haven't had a recertification class in years, the new app that iTunes offers is a must-have for smart phone users.



The app outlines the 2010 ECC guidlines for PALS, ACLS, BLS for health care providers, HeartSaver CPR classes and first aid.


This American Heart Association app incorporates instructional videos and HD graphics that clearly illustrate the most current techniques in CPR and first aid which have been proven to improve the chances of survival after a cardiac arrest, stroke, or major trauma.


To download the Pocket First Aid & CPR from the American Heart Association, you can click here. 

Basic stroke information

Strokes are very serious. They are the 4th leading cause of death in the United States and they are the leading cause of adult disability. More than 75% of strokes can be prevented which is an extremely high percentage. If people know more about strokes and how to prevent them, these statistics will decrease dramatically.

Do you know exactly what a stroke is? Do you know what the signs of a stroke are? Thankfully Loretta Smith of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio knew the signs and symptoms and made a phone call - all be it an unintended one - that likely saved her life.

Ms. Smith, age 70, felt her right side go numb and with her left hand she picked up the phone and intended on dialing her son but instead was one digit off and reached a young man in Denver, Colorado. She said, "I think I'm having a stroke." He was able to get some basic information from her and he called 911. She was taken in and it was determined that in fact she had had a mini-stroke. Ms. Smith praises him for saving her life. He said, "I do not feel like I've done anything special. I didn't save her. She found me." You can read the full article by clicking here.

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel breaks or an artery is blocked by a blood clot, interrupting blood flow to a particular area of the brain. When either of these things occur, brain cells die which causes brain damage. Depending on which part of the brain is effected (where the blood clot or artery blockage occurs) depends on which abilities controlled by that area of the brain are lost. Usually the abilities that are affected include speech, movement, and memory.

Some people recover completely from a stroke, but more than 2/3 of stroke survivors will have some kind of lingering disability.

Stroke signs and symptoms

These are the most simple and common ways to detect a stroke. Remember the acronym F.A.S.T. to help you in your assessment. And as always, with any health issue - if in doubt, dial 911.

There are several risk factors that can be controlled in preventing a stroke. The list of controllable risk factors are: high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, tobacco use, obesity, and alcohol use. Click on the link to learn more about how to prevent a stroke.

Click here to sign up for local CPR Classes and First Aid Training.
For information about local classes for all your CPR, BLS, ACLS, PALS, and First Aid needs, contact us at: www.lifesavercpr.net ~

News Releases

Coffee drinkers less likely to be hospitalized for heart rhythm disturbances Study highlights: Coffee drinkers may be less likely to develop heart rhythm disturbances than people who do not drink coffee. Drinking four or more cups of coffee daily is associated with reduced hospitalization for rhythm disturbances by a significant 18 percent. American Heart Association meeting report: SAN FRANCISCO, March 2, 2010 — Coffee drinkers may be less likely to be hospitalized for heart rhythm disturbances, according to a report presented at the American Heart Association's 50th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention. Researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in Oakland, Calif., found that men and women who reported drinking four or more cups of coffee each day had an 18 percent lower risk of hospitalization for heart rhythm disturbances. Those who reported drinking one to three cups each day had a 7 percent reduction in risk. The large, long-term observational study involved 130,054 men and women, 18 to 90 years old, with the majority less than 50 years old. About 2 percent (3,317) were hospitalized for rhythm disturbances; 50 percent of those were for atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm problem. The 18 percent reduction in risk was consistent among men and women, different ethnic groups, smokers and nonsmokers. In the study, 14 percent reported drinking less than one cup of coffee a day; 42 percent reported drinking one to three cups; and 17 percent reported drinking four cups or more each day. Only 27 percent were not coffee drinkers. "Coffee drinking is related to lower risk of hospitalization for rhythm problems, but this association does not prove cause and effect," said Arthur Klatsky, M.D., study lead investigator and senior consultant in cardiology at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program. "These data should be reassuring to people who drink moderate amounts of coffee that their habit is not likely to cause a rhythm disturbance." The researchers examined hospitalization data by elapsed time after the initial examination. For hospitalization within 10 years, the reduction in hospitalizations for people who consumed four cups of coffee or more each day reached 28 percent. In another subgroup analysis, the researchers studied persons with and without symptoms or history of heart and respiratory disease. For both groups, four cups of coffee daily appeared to be associated with fewer hospitalizations for rhythm disturbances. "This study does not mean that people should drink coffee to prevent rhythm problems," Klatsky said. "It supports the idea that people who are at risk for rhythm problems or who have rhythm problems do not need to abstain from coffee." Because patients frequently report palpitations after drinking coffee, the public may be surprised at the study findings, Klatsky said. This study was supported by a grant from the Kaiser Foundation Research Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Co-authors are: Amatul Hasan, M.D..; Cynthia Morton, M.D.; Mary Anne Armstrong, M.A., biostatistician; and Natalia Udaltsova, Ph.D., programmer. Author disclosures are on the abstract. (Note: Actual presentation time is 5:15 p.m., PT/8:15 p.m. ET, Friday, March 5, 2010.)

Heart Attach Warning Signs

Heart Attack Warning Signs
Some heart attacks are sudden and intense — the "movie heart attack," where no one doubts what's happening. But most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:

• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
  
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
  
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
  
• Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness
  

As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

Learn the signs, but remember this: Even if you're not sure it's a heart attack, have it checked out (tell a doctor about your symptoms). Minutes matter! Fast action can save lives — maybe your own. Don't wait more than five minutes to call 9-1-1 or your emergency response number.

Calling 9-1-1 is almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment. Emergency medical services (EMS) staff can begin treatment when they arrive — up to an hour sooner than if someone gets to the hospital by car. EMS staff are also trained to revive someone whose heart has stopped. Patients with chest pain who arrive by ambulance usually receive faster treatment at the hospital, too. It is best to call EMS for rapid transport to the emergency room.

Heart attack information is covered in all of my CPR and First Aid classes. For more information please visit http://www.lifesavercpr.net/ or email me at LifeSaverCPR@hotmail.com.

information taken from AHA website.