12 Medical Facts That Might Save a Life One Day

However well we may take care of our health, we can still be vulnerable, and we are all humans. The more we know about any possible dangers, the safer we are. Some diseases may seem to be similar when they’re actually not.

Bright Side shares with you the most common heart ailments, the differences between them, and what to do if you notice the first warning signs.

1. Heart attack

Our heart is a muscle that needs a good blood supply to keep it healthy. A heart attack happens when oxygenated blood stops flowing to the heart. If the oxygenated blood isn’t able to get to one part of the muscle, it can lead to death. These are the symptoms that can predict a heart attack:

— Chest discomfort — you can feel an uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.

— Shortness of breath can happen with or without chest discomfort.

— Growing anxiety.

— Besides aches in the body, the patient can have pain in their neck, abdominal cavity, back, jaw, and arms, especially the left one.

— Coughing. Due to the inability of the heart to keep up with the body’s demands, blood can leak into the lungs.

• Don’t wait to call 911 or your emergency response number if you notice the first obvious signs of a heart attack!

2. Cardiac arrest

A cardiac arrest is the sudden and unexpected loss of heart function, breathing, and memory. It is often confused with a heart attack, but there is a difference. A heart attack is caused by a blocked blood flow to the heart, while a cardiac arrest is caused when the heart stops beating unexpectedly. A heart attack is a “circulation” problem, and sudden cardiac arrest is an “electrical system malfunction” problem. These are the warning signs to know:

— Sudden loss of reacting capacity. If it happens, you won’t see any reaction to your questioning if the victim is OK.

— No normal breathing. The person may be gasping.

— Blackout and weakness. Especially when performing exercises.

• The sooner you call 911, the better.
• Give them mouth-to-mouth (CPR). After checking a person’s breathing and finding out that they aren’t breathing normally, begin CPR. Push hаrd and fast on their chest at the rate of 100 to 120 compressions a minute. Let their chest rise completely between compressions.
• Use a portable defibrillator if possible. If you don’t know how to use one, you can be guided by an emergency medical assistance operator. After one shock, immediately begin CPR starting with chest compressions, or give chest compressions only for about 2 minutes.