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Early Heart Attack Care
(EHAC)
Heart attacks have beginnings
Course Outline
1. Anatomy and physiology 101: Your Heart
2. A Heart Attack in Progress3. Concepts of Early Heart Attack Care4. Recognition and Intervention5. Delay and Denial6. You: The Early Heart Attack Care Giver
Anatomy and Physiology 101:
Your Heart
Part 1
The Human Heart
• Location: Middle of the chest• Size: That of a fist• Purpose: Pumps blood throughout the
body• Weight: 7 – 12 ounces• Capacity: Pumps 1,800 gallons of
blood & beats over 100,000 times daily
The Human Heart and Coronary Arteries
The Human Heart Electric Pump
A Heart Attack in Progress
Part 2
Heart Attack Facts
• #1 Killer of adults• 4,100 Heart attacks every day• 600,000 Heart attack deaths each year• Hundreds of thousands survive but are left
with a damaged heart
Three Presentations of a Heart Attack
• Sudden, severe pain that stops you in your tracks
• Gradual increasing pain with damage occurring over a period of hours
• Very early presentation with mild symptoms over hours or days
Coronary Artery Disease
Ischemia & Angina Pectoris
Complete Obstruction: AMI
Concepts of Early Heart Attack Care (EHAC)
Part 3
Are All Heart Attacks Created Equal?
Progress: Heart Attack Treatment
• Thrombolytic Therapy (Clot Busters)• Angioplasty• Pre-hospital Cardiac Care• Decrease in hospital time to treatment
saved heart muscle improvement in quality of life
Too Little Progress: Heart Attack Recognition
• Most heart attack patients do not benefit from optimal medical advances…………………………Why?
Delay
• In recognizing and responding to the early warning signs of a heart attack
Why EHAC?
• Early Care: Recognize & Respond– Often mild symptoms, usually normal activity
• Late Care: Obvious Emergency & Respond– Incapacitating pain, diminished activity
• Too Late Care: Critical Emergency & Respond– Unconscious, CPR, defibrillation, probable death
• 85% of the heart damage takes place within the first two hours
Recognition and Intervention
Part 4
Early Symptoms of a Heart Attack
Non-Specific Heart Attack Symptoms:
• Weakness/Fatigue• Clammy/Sweating• Nausea/Indigestion• Dizziness/Nervousness• Shortness of Breath• Neck/Back/Jaw Pain• Feeling of Doom• Elbow Pain
Specific Heart Attack Symptoms:
• Chest Discomfort• Chest Pressure• Chest Ache• Chest Burning• Chest Fullness
Early Signs of Heart Attack
• Present in up to half of heart attacks• Suddenly accelerate preceding the heart
attack• Usually appear within 24 hours before the
acute attack but can begin two to three weeks before
• Duration varies from a few minutes to several hours
• Usually intermittent with a pain free period before the onset of acute occlusion
Delay and Denial
Part 5
Why Do We Delay?
Denial and Procrastination = Our Heart’s Enemy
1. It’s nothing really serious (I’ll just rest a bit)2. I’m too busy right now (I don’t have time to be sick)3. I don’t want to be a problem (If it turns out to be nothing,
I’ll be embarrassed by the fuss made)4. Paramedics Beware (First responders can easily be
swayed by patient rationalizations and denials)5. It’s probably heart burn or indigestion (I’ll take something
for it)6. I’m strong (Just walk it off, grin and bear it)7. I’m healthy (I have no serious medical problems… I
exercise)8. I’ll just wait it out (Everything will be okay)
You: The Early Heart Attack Care Giver
Part 6
What To Ask and Look For
• Do you have any chest discomfort?• Is it tightness, pressure, pain in the center of
your chest?• Is the discomfort also in your arms or jaw or
neck or throat or back?• Are you sick to your stomach?• Is the person sweaty or clammy?• What were you doing when the symptoms
started?• Do the symptoms go away with rest?• Are you having any shortness of breath?
Listen to Your Heart and Be A Winner!
• Be aware of pressure, not necessarily pain, in your chest
• Be aware if it increases with activity and subsides with rest
• Don’t try to rationalize it away; be honest with yourself and others
• Call 911 or have someone drive you to the nearest emergency room
• Don’t go to your doctor’s office or wait for an appointment
• EHAC is knowing the subtle danger signs and acting on them before damage occurs
Any
questions?questions?
www.somc.orgwww.somc.org
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