WEEK FIVE - May 8th - 14th
HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK!
On Saturday, while riding with us at Grand Beach, Kevin jokingly (maybe not so jokingly) asked what would happen if someone had a heart attack in the wilderness.
Since I am always desperate for content on this blog, I thought it might be an interesting topic. The resulting tips come from a variety of websites including the Boy Scouts of America.
Have fun and exercise safe ( I should talk).
"In a heart emergency, you must make crucial decisions under stress. Even if you ultimately make wise choices, you waste valuable minutes if you spend time weighing your options. If you do insist on waiting to see what happens, allot yourself only five minutes. But not a minute more.
"As heart attack is a common medical emergency, the signs are often part of first aid courses. General management in the acute setting is calling for help as soon as possible; giving aspirin (300-500 mg), which inhibits formation of further blood clots; being prepared to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in case of arrhythmia or cardiac arrest.
"Since the publication of data that availability of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public places may significantly increase chances of survival, many of these have been installed in public buildings, public transport facilities and in non-ambulance emergency vehicles (e.g. police cars and fire engines). AEDs analyze the rhythm and determine whether the arrhythmia is amenable to defibrillation ("shockable").
"CPR is performed if there is no satisfactory cardiac output. About 20% of patients die before they reach the hospital; the cause of death is often ventricular fibrillation.
"Wilderness first aid: In wilderness first aid, a possible heart attack justifies medical evacuation by the fastest available means, including MEDEVAC, even in the earliest or precursor stages. The patient will rapidly be incapable of further exertion and have to be carried out. Immediately make the patient comfortable, raise up their feet and administer aspirins if available.
"Fast action is crucial. A heart attack occurs when an artery supplying your heart with blood and oxygen becomes blocked. With each passing minute, more heart tissue is deprived of oxygen and sustains permanent damage or dies. It's crucial to restore blood flow within the first hour, when most damage occurs.
"In the initial minutes, a heart attack can trigger ventricular fibrillation. This unstable heart rhythm produces an ineffective heartbeat, causing insufficient blood flow to vital organs. What this means, of course, is that if a patient having a heart attack tries to "ride it out" for a while, hoping the symptoms are due to indigestion or muscle strain, or if the medical personnel delay instituting therapy for any reason, the delay can lead to devastating and permanent results.
On Saturday, while riding with us at Grand Beach, Kevin jokingly (maybe not so jokingly) asked what would happen if someone had a heart attack in the wilderness.
Since I am always desperate for content on this blog, I thought it might be an interesting topic. The resulting tips come from a variety of websites including the Boy Scouts of America.
Have fun and exercise safe ( I should talk).
"In a heart emergency, you must make crucial decisions under stress. Even if you ultimately make wise choices, you waste valuable minutes if you spend time weighing your options. If you do insist on waiting to see what happens, allot yourself only five minutes. But not a minute more.
"As heart attack is a common medical emergency, the signs are often part of first aid courses. General management in the acute setting is calling for help as soon as possible; giving aspirin (300-500 mg), which inhibits formation of further blood clots; being prepared to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in case of arrhythmia or cardiac arrest.
"Since the publication of data that availability of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public places may significantly increase chances of survival, many of these have been installed in public buildings, public transport facilities and in non-ambulance emergency vehicles (e.g. police cars and fire engines). AEDs analyze the rhythm and determine whether the arrhythmia is amenable to defibrillation ("shockable").
"CPR is performed if there is no satisfactory cardiac output. About 20% of patients die before they reach the hospital; the cause of death is often ventricular fibrillation.
"Wilderness first aid: In wilderness first aid, a possible heart attack justifies medical evacuation by the fastest available means, including MEDEVAC, even in the earliest or precursor stages. The patient will rapidly be incapable of further exertion and have to be carried out. Immediately make the patient comfortable, raise up their feet and administer aspirins if available.
"Fast action is crucial. A heart attack occurs when an artery supplying your heart with blood and oxygen becomes blocked. With each passing minute, more heart tissue is deprived of oxygen and sustains permanent damage or dies. It's crucial to restore blood flow within the first hour, when most damage occurs.
"In the initial minutes, a heart attack can trigger ventricular fibrillation. This unstable heart rhythm produces an ineffective heartbeat, causing insufficient blood flow to vital organs. What this means, of course, is that if a patient having a heart attack tries to "ride it out" for a while, hoping the symptoms are due to indigestion or muscle strain, or if the medical personnel delay instituting therapy for any reason, the delay can lead to devastating and permanent results.
posted by Theo Cage at
1:44 PM
1 Comments:
Week Five Done.
300 minutes with 207 in the zone.
All goals met except for the 'pop' target - had 2 Cokes on Saturday (well, once I had one . . .)
Beat my best time at Burr Oak on the 11th. Completed the entire course plus the two extensions in 20:45. My target this summer is to do it under 20 minutes.
By
Theo Cage, at 5:22 AM
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