The term cardiac arrest always sparks fear and confusion in everyone. Even though it sounds scary, understanding every aspect of it is crucial for everyone. Did you know that every year thousands of people experience cardiac arrest often with little to no warning? What if you were able to recognise the signs and were able to respond quickly and effectively? That’s the power of knowledge, especially when it comes to saving lives.
So, what could be a cardiac arrest? To keep it short, it occurs when our heart suddenly stops beating and cuts the flow of blood to the brain and all other vital organs. Regardless of age or health status, this can happen to anyone. Hence, to bring in all the differences, it is important to recognize the warning signs like sudden collapse, unresponsiveness, abnormal breathing, etc. Recognising the signs is one thing and taking action is another. What should you do if you witness a situation like this?
What’s vital is immediate action and this guide will take you along on its exploration about all the essential steps to be performed, such as CPR, emergency services and the use of AED, if available. But, it just doesn’t end there. Because prevention is key. Are there any lifestyle changes that can potentially reduce the risk of cardiac arrest? If so, are such changes enough to prevent it? Simple changes and habits like following a well-balanced diet, proper exercise and health check-ups with the best cardiologist in Delhi can improve your cardiovascular health significantly.
Join us in demystifying cardiac arrest and let’s turn the fear around it into knowledge and preparedness. Read along to find out more about the signs and various preventive measures that can promote a healthier future and most importantly, save lives!
What is it
Cardiac arrest or sudden cardiac arrest is when your heart stops beating suddenly. This causes a lack of blood supply to the vital organs of our body, causing the person to lose consciousness, become disabled for life and even die if not given proper care.
Signs of a cardiac arrest
The signs of cardiac arrest vary among individuals. Even in that case, there are some common signs that you can notice, including:
- Unusual fatigue
- Feeling dizzy
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
- Chest pain that lasts a while
- Palpitations of the heart- unusually fast heartbeat
- Losing consciousness
Even though these are the common signs of heart attack, there are many symptoms that you get to notice earlier. And study has shown that these symptoms vary with men and women. Even though they tend to experience similar symptoms, women are more likely to experience unique symptoms. While men experience pain in their arms, women experience pain in their upper body, mainly between the shoulder blades. A study once revealed that women who have reached menopause develop the risk of getting heart attacks and other heart-related health issues quickly.
How to prevent it
Heart attack is caused mainly by poor lifestyle and yes, it can be prevented.
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Quit the smoke
This is a habit often started by people as a way to kill off stress. You might be able to take a bit of your tension away using this, but you are only inviting more issues to your body. If you are someone who smokes, just quit it- it doesn’t matter how much you smoke. It can be tough but if you want to prevent and recover from the risk of cardiovascular diseases, then this is where you should begin. Following a strict and healthy diet and working out is not going to help you unless to stop smoking.
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A healthy diet
A healthy diet means a diet that provides you with good and necessary nutrition. For this, include vegetables and fruits rich in antioxidants in your diet, whole grain, low-fat dairy products, healthy fat, poultry that is skinless, fish, legumes, nuts, etc. Because the food you eat can control many risk factors like blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, glucose levels, etc.
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Aim for a healthy weight
Getting rid of all the unhealthy weight and obesity is a great way to keep control of your heart’s health. When you eat too much calories, you are putting yourself at the risk of developing obesity. Weight loss can help you to improve your blood pressure as well as your cholesterol. Adding a good amount of nutrition, controlling the calories and being physically active can help you to achieve a healthy weight.
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Get physically active
Move more and sit less- this way you can make sure that your body is active every day. Working out for at least 30 minutes every day for at least 5 days a week can help you to lower your blood pressure, and cholesterol and also to keep your weight at a healthy level. It is not strict that you go to the gym, any physical activity can do the job- whether it is cycling, swimming or even a brisk walk, all you need to do is do it properly.
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Get good quality sleep
Getting good sleep is the best way to reduce stress. For this, start by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. Getting a good night’s sleep can influence your memory, eating habits, internal organs and most importantly, your heart health. Maintaining a healthy level and not letting it be too low or high is essential for this.
Conclusion
To conclude, proper understanding of cardiac arrest is important for everyone, because as we discussed earlier, it can happen unexpectedly and requires immediate action. You can empower yourself with adequate knowledge by recognising signs like sudden collapse or abnormal breathing and this will help you to act decisively during emergency situations. Remember that calling for help and performing CPR can increase the chances of survival. Just imagine how incredible it would be to make a poignant change in someone’s life with just a few simple steps.
What plays a major role in preventing cardiac arrest is prevention. This can be achieved through a healthy lifestyle, balanced diet and regular exercise as they can significantly reduce your chance of getting exposed to it. Adding to that regular health check-ups with a cardiologist can also help you to stay way ahead of potential heart issues. This ensures that you are not just reacting to problems but also managing your heart health actively by taking all the necessary steps.
In the case of those individuals who require surgical intervention, medical advancements like minimally invasive robotic surgery in Gurgaon offer an innovative option to enhance recovery as well as minimize discomfort. These kinds of technological advancements, especially when it comes to surgical procedures, help in improving surgical outcomes and allow the patient to get back on track to their normal activities faster.
Now, that we wrap this up, why don’t you consider this: are you all set and well-equipped with the knowledge to respond to and recognize the signs of cardiac arrest? Always remember that preparedness is key and every bit of information helps you in this. Join us and let us commit to being proactive about cardiovascular health and saving lives. After all, isn’t it all about living a longer and quality life?
Why wait? Take the first step towards a healthy heart today!