Common Emergencies Notes

Heart Attack

one of the most common health issues a person can have in the United States is something called heart disease

Heart disease- is when a person’s heart is not working properly, or as well, as it should. This can make getting blood around the body difficult, which can affect our health a lot. some symptoms of heart disease are chest pain, ankle swelling, and shortness of breath.

heart disease can lead to heart attacks— which is when the tubes that carry blood around the body, get clogged or blocked in some way.

some symptoms of a heart attack are shortness of breath, and extreme chest pain— there can also be symptoms like fainting, dizziness, or even stomach upset.

pain caused by heart attacks usually starts right under the chest, in an area called the sternum— that’s the strong bone right in the middle of your chest. The pain can also radiate, or move, to your arms and shoulders— usually on the left side, because your heart is on the left side.

if you think someone is having a heart attack, you must call 911 right away, because getting them help as soon as possible is the best thing for them. While waiting for help, it’s best to get the person lying down, if they’re feeling faint or dizzy. If the person faints, and their heart stops beating, you may be asked by 911 operators to perform something called CPR— they will tell you exactly how to do it.

CPR is when you use your hands to pump the person’s heart from the outside of their body, to get it beating again— it is done by pressing repeatedly on their chest in a specific and forceful way. If you would like to know more about how to do CPR, you can visit Redcross's webpage on it, and even take classes with them.

prevention- prevention is the most important thing when it comes to heart health. the best thing we can do to prevent heart attacks is to exercise and eat healthily— it is also important to know when to destress and relax, as that can take a load off of your heart.

Stroke

a stroke is a very serious emergency that happens when a blood clot forms in the brain.

the brain is what controls everything we do— from breathing, walking, talking, hearing, and seeing. if blood gets trapped in a place in the brain, it can be really dangerous, so it is very important to know the signs of a stroke.

because our brain is such an important organ, different parts of it control different things we can do— so the symptoms of a stroke can vary greatly depending on where the blood is trapped within the brain

some symptoms can be— trouble talking, walking, or sudden blindness. A lot of the time, someone with a stroke will have muscle weakness only on one side of their body— for example, their face can only smile on one side, or they can only raise one arm and not the other. they might suddenly lose some memories, or get a very bad headache.

if someone is experiencing symptoms of a stroke, you must call 911 right away— when you call 911, make sure to tell them that they are having symptoms of a stroke because they’ll make sure the ambulance will get there super quick.

Fainting

fainting is when our body goes temporarily unconscious— kind of like if we just randomly fell asleep without wanting to.

sometimes, people faint for reasons that aren’t serious. For example, some people get so scared of needles that they faint when they’re at the doctor's.

signs someone is about to faint— they might sway, or seem tired— they can also get nauseous and dizzy, and even lose hearing or get tunnel vision. if someone starts feeling this way, it’s best to get them lying down and put their legs up.

the reason we put someone’s legs up when they’re feeling faint is that it can help make sure their blood is going to the brain— the most important part of the body. Fainting is often caused when the brain isn’t getting enough oxygen through the blood, so raising someone’s legs while they’re laying down can help them feel better.

if someone faints because it’s too warm out, it’s important to get them somewhere cool where they can sip on the water until they feel better.

If someone faints and is out for longer than a few minutes, it’s best to get them to a hospital.

foreign body in the throat

when a person is eating too fast, or talking while eating, they may accidentally inhale some of the food they’re eating— this can lead to choking.

choking is when the airway is blocked by something— and it can be really dangerous. If someone is choking, call 911 right away. the 911 operator may tell you to do something called the Heimlich maneuver— this is when you press on someone’s stomach from behind, using your hands put together in a fist to push the food up and out of their windpipe— the 911 operator will tell you exactly how to do this maneuver— if you would like to know more, please visit the red cross’s webpage on the maneuver.