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?

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