A qualified nurse, author and first aid trainer with over 30 years’ healthcare and teaching experience


British Heart Week 2019 takes place from 7th to 15th June. To mark this event we offer a round up of all our heart health articles. From performing CPR to keeping your blood pressure in check, to dealing with a heart attack whilst on our own, to crucial screening to avoid heart attack in the young. We have informative videos to watch plus the latest app to let you know where to locate your nearest potentially life-saving defibrillator. Let’s start looking after our hearts.

Heart attacks and cardiac arrests and how to survive them

In the UK there are over 200,000 hospital visits each year due to heart attacks: that’s 1 every 3 minutes. However, the outlook for surviving heart attacks and recovery is improving. In the 1960’s more than 7 out of 10 heart attacks in the UK were fatal. These days at least 7 out of 10 people survive. In fact, there are an estimated 1 million people alive in the UK today who have survived a heart attack.

Read more, plus find out the difference between heart attack, cardiac arrest and angina here: https://onlinefirstaid.com/heart-attacks-surviving/

How to manage having a heart attack when you are on your own

According to the British Heart Foundation, someone is taken to hospital in the UK with a heart attack every three minutes. However, many people will be on their own when they have a heart attack. It is vital to know how to help yourself if you are alone and think you’re having a heart attack. Follow our instructions from recognising the warning signs and ignoring urban myths.

Read more here: https://firstaidforlife.org.uk/heart-attack-on-your-own/

Why defibrillators are so important and how to use them

With around 30,000 people each year suffering a sudden cardiac arrest it is imperative that bystanders know how to respond. A cardiac arrest can affect anyone at any time – from young children at school, to adults when they’re at home, work or out in public places. Without the correct treatment, cardiac arrests are often fatal with The British Heart Foundation’s figures revealing that only one in ten victims survive. However, the chance of surviving a cardiac arrest jumps from 6% to 74% if the casualty is in a shockable rhythm and a defibrillator is deployed within 3 minutes, so it is important you know how to use one.

Read more here: https://onlinefirstaid.com/importance-of-defibrillators/

Read our article on 8 Common Myths About Defibrillators And Why They Save Lives here: https://firstaidforlife.org.uk/8-common-myths-about-defibrillators-and-why-they-save-lives/

Read our article on how to save a life using CPR and a defibrillator here: https://firstaidforlife.org.uk/how-to-save-a-life-using-cpr-and-defibrillator/

CPR – Cardio, Pulmonary Resuscitation

In a recent survey from the British Heart Foundation, they found that 1 in 3 adults would not know how to help someone if they were unconscious and not breathing. 96% of them would call an ambulance, but the vast majority would not have a clue to help whilst waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

The UK survival rates radically lag behind the rest of Europe. It is hoped that adding first aid to the curriculum in English Schools will help. However, the key development is that more people undertake some form of practical or online first aid training and are able to start CPR as soon as possible if someone collapses and stops breathing.

Read more here: https://firstaidforlife.org.uk/cpr-cardio-pulmonary-resuscitation/

CPR – How To Save a Baby’s Life

CPR is one of the key areas of first aid that many people are still confused by.  What does it mean?  How do you do it?  When is it needed?  As a first aid trainer and trained nurse, I know just how vital those first minutes can be, so here’s a quick rundown of everything you need to know about how to give CPR to a baby or child who isn’t breathing.

Read our article here: https://onlinefirstaid.com/baby-cpr/

High blood pressure and how to reduce it

High blood pressure or hypertension is often an underlying condition, closely associated with serious health issues such as heart attacks. It affects an estimated 17 million people in the UK. What exactly is high blood pressure and what causes it? Plus how to reduce high blood pressure, and consequently reduce the risk of having a heart attack.

Read more on high blood pressure here: https://onlinefirstaid.com/high-blood-pressure/

Sudden heart attacks in the young and the simple screening to avoid them

Shocking statistics reveal that heart attacks are not a preserve of the old. Every week in the UK, 12 seemingly fit and healthy young people, aged 35 years and under, die from Young Sudden Cardiac Death. In 80% of these cases there were no symptoms. A simple free screening can however flag up any cardiac abnormalities and conditions which could lead to sudden cardiac death. The majority of those tested receive the all clear. However one in 300 tested by the screening programme will be flagged as having a potentially life-threatening condition. The conditions can then be treated either with lifestyle changes, medication or surgery.

Read more here: https://firstaidforlife.org.uk/heart-attacks/

Read more about heart charity Cardiac Risk in the Young or CRY here: https://www.c-r-y.org.uk/screening/

Of course, a practical first aid course would prepare you to meet any medical eventualities from learning how to perform life-saving CPR to how to use an AED.

To find out about which course best suits you and to book, click here: https://firstaidforlife.org.uk/scheduled-dates/

Written by Emma Hammett for First Aid for Life

Award-winning first aid training tailored to your needs – Please visit our site and learn more about our practical and online courses. It is vital to keep your skills current and refreshed.

It is strongly advised that you attend a fully regulated Practical or Online First Aid course to understand what to do in a medical emergency. Please visit https://firstaidforlife.org.uk or call 0208 675 4036 for more information about our courses.

First Aid for Life is a multi-award-winning, fully regulated first aid training provider. Our trainers are highly experienced medical, health and emergency services professionals who will tailor the training to your needs. Courses for groups or individuals at our venue or yours.

First Aid for life provides this information for guidance and it is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. First Aid for Life is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made, or actions taken based on this information.

  

Emma Hammett

Emma Hammett is a qualified nurse, author and first aid trainer with over 30 years’ healthcare and teaching experience. Emma is the Founder of three multi-award-winning businesses; First Aid for Life, Onlinefirstaid.com, First Aid for Pets and her social cause StaySafe.support. She has published multiple books and is an acknowledged first aid expert and authority on accident prevention, health and first aid. Emma writes for numerous online and print publications and regularly features in the press, on the radio and on TV. She is the first aid expert for the British Dental Journal, British Journal of School Nursing, the Mail online and Talk Radio with Eamonn Holmes. She is a member of the Guild of Health Writers and Guild of Nurses.

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