Understand the Risks of Cardiac Arrest

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Many people in Canada confuse heart attack, heart failure and cardiac arrest. Unlike other types of heart problems, the arrest can be caused by any conditions of the heart. The problem occurs when the heart of the victim has malfunctions in its electrical system. This leads to production of abnormal rhythms such as fibrillation and ventricle tachycardia. Some arrests can also be as a result of slowing of the rhythm of the heart. It is therefore important to understand your risk of the arrest. Here are some of the signs that can make you be vulnerable to cardiac arrests.

Scarred Heart from other Heart Problems

A heart that is enlarged or scarred has high chances of developing ventricle arrhythmia that are life threatening. A victim who has previously had a heart attack has a high chance of suffering from cardiac arrest for the first six months.

Cardiomyopathy or Thickened Heart Muscle

The heart may develop thick muscles as a result of valvular heart disease or high blood pressure. You become more vulnerable to this problem if you have a heart failure. This is a major cause of sudden arrest in many people.

Heart Drugs or Medications

Under various conditions, several heart medications can lead to arrhythmia that lead to sudden cardiac arrest. Antiarrhythmic medications administered to treat arrhythmia can lead to development of lethal ventricular arrhythmia even when taken at the right dose. This occurs because whether there is presence of organic heart disease, the changes that occur in the level of magnesium and potassium can cause the arrest. Recreational drugs are also a major cause of the problem even to people without organic heart problem.

Electrical Abnormalities

There are certain electrical abnormalities, for example, long QT syndrome or Wolff-Parkinson-white syndrome that can lead to cardiac arrest in children and young adults. Therefore, if your child suffers from these problems, it is good to be aware that they are highly prone to suffer from the arrest.

Abnormalities in a Blood Vessel

There are people who are born with blood vessels abnormalities especially in the aorta and coronary arteries. This is a major cause of many deaths among young people in Canada. The high level of adrenaline released during intense athletic or physical activity can trigger arrest to occur.

What you should do in case of a cardiac arrest?

This is a fatal problem and when it occurs to a person you must call 911 or any other medical service provider immediately. If you are trained on how to use AED you should use it to save a life before the emergency help arrives. Learn to use an AED and provide emergency first aid and CPR care by enrolling in a course near you. Courses can take anywhere from 4 hours to 2 days.

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