The Academy Awards Celebrations and CHD – an ACLS Alert

By SureFire CPR | Published: March 1, 2012

Sunday night millions of Americans were glued to their TV sets watching as Hollywood’s elite were awarded with the Oscar.  Gowns, glamor and great talent flooded the airwaves as we watched our favorite actors, directors, producers and films (etc.) pick up acknowledgements for a “job well done” in the film industry.  So what does everyone do after the ceremony is over?

 

P-A-R-T-Y of course and no doubt huge amounts of alcohol were consumed throughout the night and into the wee hours of the following morning.  Just how does this kind of celebrating affect health?  According to Dr. Thomas A. Pearson from an article written in the American Heart Association Journal, large consumption of alcohol can lead to coronary heart disease and associated diseases causing lasting effects on health.  The amount of alcohol consumed per day has a direct effect on wellness also.  An average of 1-2 drinks daily (defined as ½ ounce of alcohol – measured as a “drink equivalent” for varied alcoholic beverages alcohol content contained) has been shown to actually improve overall cardiovascular health.  However, variance from this amount creates a direct increase for cardiac disease.

 

Dr. Thomas states the following:  “…mortality due to a large number of other diseases increases with an increasing number of drinks consumed per day. Diseases related to heavy consumption of alcohol and alcoholism include stroke,7 alcoholic cardiomyopathy,12 several kinds of cancer, cirrhosis, and pancreatitis, as well as accidents, suicide, and homicide. It should be noted that heavy consumption of alcohol is a major cause of hypertension,13 so that the diseases related to hypertension, such as stroke, are generally related to alcohol consumption. Heavy consumption of alcohol also appears to affect heart muscle and possibly arterial tissues directly.”  (ahajornals.org)

 

 

Over consumption of alcohol will frequently lead to the urgent 9-1-1 call summoning assistance from medical health professionals who monitor the victim following protocols which often include the ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) and BLS (Basic Life Support) protocols respectively.  Choosing to celebrate responsibly and monitoring alcohol consumption to remain within a moderate amount prevents injury and long-term effects on overall wellness…and that’s something to celebrate!

 

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Children’s Injuries and Sports – CPR and First Aid

By SureFire CPR | Published: February 29, 2012

The score bantered back and forth until about mid-way through the third quarter when the players began to fatigue.  Slowly, the gap formed and our team fell behind by ten points.  I knew the game was essentially over and my interest shifted to the players, the staggering difference in their heights and sizes (even though they were all the same age).  As the last quarter wound up, the ball was thrown in random shots landing all over the court, fouls were frequent and falls increased.  I began to think about childhood injuries and sports.

 

Injury with kids is as common as a mom kissing that “boo-boo”.  Band-Aids covered with cartoon characters fill the shelves in drug stores attesting to the importance of covering that scraped knee with just the right “fix”.  Most of these minor bumps and bruises are an understood part of childhood and simple steps can be taken to prevent serious injury from kid’s play.

 

The first and most important step to preventing injury is adequate supervision.  A commitment to preserving safety for children, whether at a playground or on the football field, is mandatory by qualified adults.  Coaches should be trained in CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) with a solid knowledge in basic First Aid.  Having someone with a medical background was common for my sons’ lacrosse teams and their skills came in handy on more than one occasions (fortunately for us, our “medical expert” was an ER physician).

 

Proper training and pre-game preparation is something not often overlooked and thankfully so.  Injuries which can occur from lack of warming up are just as common with children as with adults.  Taking that extra time to stretch out before a game saves those little muscles from trauma.  Lessons in proper techniques go without saying – no one would send their child off to surf without first teaching them to swim.  Investing proper training is an investment in the child’s safety.

 

Using the right equipment is another important step to maintaining safety with sports or play.  Riding a bicycle or skateboarding without a helmet should never be allowed.  In fact, I rarely see children on a ski hill without a helmet anymore – hats off to those parents!  (pun intended)

 

Taking time to make safety for sports a priority keeps the game safe and kids out of the Emergency Room.  Parents can make sure their little ones are able to enjoy the freedom of childhood play by acting responsibly and supervising for safety.

 

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Chest Pain in Children – PALS to the Rescue (part two)

By SureFire CPR | Published: February 28, 2012

 

Uncommon to children is the complaint of chest pain that is related to cardiac injury or illness.  Typical pediatric chest pain complaints are due to minor injury, illness or even stress.  But when there is a cardiac cause for a child’s chest pain, serious concerns can be raised.  Part Two of this article presents possible causes for chest discomfort in a child.

 

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital lists a few of the very rare causes of pediatric cardiac pain.  Infrequent in presentation within the pediatric population, the occasional conditions listed below can occur.

 

-          Pericarditis:  an inflammation of the lining surrounding the heart.  Symptoms are usually sharp chest pain around the sternum, occasionally radiating to the shoulders.  The cause of pericarditis is generally from infection and can usually be treated with antibiotics.

 

-          Coronary Artery abnormalities: usually a congenital caused condition, symptoms mimic those found in adult chest pain.  Acquired diseases such as Kawasaki’s disease can also be an underlying condition for this type of chest pain and treatment will depend on the nature of the condition itself.  Seeking prompt treatment from a physician is required.

 

-          Mitral Valve Prolapse: a mild abnormality of the heart valve in the left ventricle of the heart.  Symptoms are generally benign and treatment is determined by the physician, usually left to run an uncomplicated course.

 

(Information obtained from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital website:  www.cincinnatichildrens.org)

 

These are only three possible causes of pediatric chest pain.  Other causes can include an over-increase in fluid or air causing discomfort, inflammation in the chest and possible illnesses of the lungs or asthma.  Astute monitoring of chest discomfort in children is necessary to rule out cardiac origin, even with the rare occurrence of such in children.  Calling 9-1-1 to activate pre-hospital assistance and the Pediatric Life Support (PALS) protocols is the first and most appropriate step to take when suspicion of cardiac chest pain occurs in a child.

 

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Revised CPR Technique Hopes to Boost the Frequency of Bystander CPR

By SureFire CPR | Published: February 28, 2012

Every five years, the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation and American Heart Association revisit research and data and in turn, issue changes to the CPR administration.  In October 2010, a significant change was made: a shift away from the ABC technique (airway, breathing, and circulation) and towards a CAB approach (chest compressions, airway, and breathing.)

 

This shift, while seemingly subtle, has profound effects of administering CPR and hopes to boost the survival rates of those afflicted by heart attacks and cardiac arrest.

 

To the latter point, the room for improvement is great.  There has been a traditionally low survival rate for those suffering from a heart attack or cardiac arrest if they do not receive immediate bystander CPR.  The reasons why bystanders are afraid to perform the technique are many: fear of hurting the individual, discomfort with the mouth-to-mouth element, and of course, a general lack of training. Because of this, only 30 percent of cardiac arrest victims receive bystander CPR.

 

Ultimately, this shift in administering CPR is good news for everyone.  Those who were previously uncomfortable with performing the technique can partake in onsite CPR training to learn the new methods.  And more trained individuals will most certainly lead to more saved lives.

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Chest Pain in Children – PALS Training to the Rescue

By SureFire CPR | Published: February 27, 2012

Occasionally, children complain that their “chest hurts”.  Of course, with an adult, one would automatically assume “chest pain” signifies heart problems.  But is this the case with children’s complaints of chest discomfort?

 

Fortunately, children typically do not have cardiac related chest pain.  There will always be the exception and when cardiac involvement is suspected, a 9-1-1 call is appropriate activating the Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) protocols and possibly saving the child’s life.

 

Should your child complain of pain to his chest, you can breathe easy knowing the cause will most likely be benign in origin.  Common causes identified by Cincinnati’s Children’s Hospital are among the following:

-          Costochondritis: inflammation that occurs within the “joint” between the rib and breastbone.  This symptom is caused with upper respiratory viral illness or frequent coughing and is usually treated with anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen.

 

-          Injury: impact (which can be serious) or strain with frequent coughing, contact sports or falls can create discomfort to the chest.  Treatment depends on the extent of the injury that is minor in nature is generally supportive in nature with rest and over-the-counter pain medications.  All injuries to the chest should be evaluated by a physician particularly when difficulty breathing is associated.

 

-          Stress and Anxiety: a condition typically associated with adults, children can also suffer from the side effects of perceived stress or worry.  Determining the cause of this type of discomfort aides in recognizing possible interventions for treatment.

 

-          Precordial Catch Syndrome: a rare condition that typically affects adolescents in which a sudden onset of sharp pain associated with inspiration occurs along the chest or back.  This condition has no significant side effects and generally resolves itself within moments.  (information obtained the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital website: www.cincinnatichildrens.org)

 

Parents can breathe easy knowing chest pain occurring in children is rarely cardiac in origin.  However, a few rare circumstances may indicate heart involvement in children.  Those will be reviewed in part-two of this article, posted tomorrow on this site.

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PALS Certification and RSV (Part 2)

By SureFire CPR | Published: February 25, 2012

Contained within the article posted yesterday are a few key points to recognizing the symptoms of RSV.  Most of these symptoms mimic those of the common cold.  As a result, several questions have been presented and I wanted to address two of them in this second part of the RSV article.

 

“It’s just a cold because my husband and I have had the same thing and we got better after a few days.  I’m sure the baby will get well if we just watch him for a while.”

 

This was a frequent argument to recognizing and acting upon the symptoms of RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) in children and infants.  In fact, the first part of that statement is completely true.  Both parents caring for sick children may have indeed been infected with the same virus (RSV in this case) that is infecting their children.  The adult symptoms and recovery process is different however.  Children and infants who suffer from RSV do not exhibit the same, milder symptoms as their parents and recovery for these little bodies is very difficult, making RSV a lethal disease in newborns particularly.  Remaining astute about the difference between a child or infant’s response to illness and an adult’s can help prevent the emergency 9-1-1 call for help and the pre-hospital responder’s reactions down a PALS (Pediatric Advance Life Support) protocol to save the child from the results of that “minor cold”.

 

“I’ve already been sick so it won’t matter if I get around the infected child.”

 

This statement can be true but there is also that chance that an adult can be re-infected.  Viruses and bacteria circulate throughout the winter months increase (RSV season in particular) causing the possibility of exposure to multiple strains of these illness causing germs.  The likelihood of exposure to many different viruses is high.  Symptoms can present very similarly between different forms of germs so a virus affecting an adult may be different than a virus infecting a child.  Being free from symptoms that are similar to an infected individual does not guarantee immunity when exposed.  If the baby is infected with RSV and an adult has been infected with a different virus, the adult can contract RSV (which is highly contagious) and become ill again within a few days.

 

Fortunately, using common sense and following hygienic precautions is the best defense against exposure.  If you or a loved one is ill, remaining out of the presence of others is the right thing to do.  Staying indoors and out of public contact prevents the spread of illnesses highly contagious, particularly RSV.  If you must be exposed to individuals who are ill or if you are ill yourself and cannot remain at home for some reason, wearing a simple mask obtained from a drug store will help prevent the spread of droplet contracted illnesses.  Finally, consistent and frequent hand washing is proven to reduce the risk of exposure and the spread of illness.

 

Being aware of these simple steps can aid in keeping these winter months illness free.

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PALS Classes Orange County

By SureFire CPR | Published: February 23, 2012

Do you need a PALS Class in Orange County? SureFire CPR is offering PALS classes for all of your needs! Learn Pediatric Advanced Life Support from our team of professional firefighters, paramedics, lifeguards, and EMTs.

 

Our state of the art training facility includes the most realistic pediatric training manikins and equipment to make you the best PALS provider that you can be. With classes offered on a regular basis and a low student to instructor ratio, SureFire CPR is the one stop shop for your advanced life support training. We have two offices in Orange County: Orange and Laguna Hills. Sign up for your Orange County PALS class today!

 

Questions? Call us anytime at 888-277-3143!

 

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PALS Certification and RSV

By SureFire CPR | Published: February 22, 2012

“The baby is congested, coughing, running a slight fever and just doesn’t eat right.”  My advice: take him to the ER.  Why would I say something like that with cold-like symptoms you may ask?

 

We are in the midst of RSV season this year and while the virus doesn’t strike fear into the hearts of health care workers the way it used to years ago, it still raises concern when children or infants struggle with symptoms of RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus).   Empowering yourself with knowledge is the best defense against this illness and knowing what to look for is the first step.  This highly contagious virus is spread typically through droplets that are spread when someone with the virus sneezes, coughs or blows their nose in the presence of others.  Symptoms vary and can manifest differently from adults to children and infants.  Typical minor cold symptoms in an adult can become threatening when the virus is contracted by an infant.  Precautions are best taken during this time of year to prevent contracting and/or spreading the virus.

 

Simple steps, such as covering your nose or mouth when coughing or sneezing along with frequent hand-washing are some of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of any disease, particularly RSV.  Being aware of the symptoms associated with RSV is another.

 

According to the U. S. National Library of Medicine, the following is a guideline to recognizing some of the symptoms of RSV:

 

Symptoms vary and differ with age. They usually appear 4 – 6 days after coming in contact with the virus.

 

Older children usually have only mild, cold-like symptoms, such as cough, stuffy nose, or low-grade fever.

 

Infants under age 1 may have more severe symptoms and often have the most trouble breathing.

 

 

In general, RSV symptoms include:

- Bluish skin color due to lack of oxygen (cyanosis)

- Breathing difficulty or labored breathing

- Cough

- Croupy cough (often described as a “seal bark” cough)

- Fever

- Nasal flaring

- Rapid breathing (tachypnea)

- Shortness of breath

- Stuffy nose

- Wheezing

 

Should infants or small children suffer from these symptoms, follow up with a pediatrician is suggested.  Respiratory difficulty, characterized by the above symptoms particularly in infants warrants a 9-1-1 call.  Appropriate protocols utilized by pre-hospital personnel trained in

neonatal resuscitation (NRP) or pediatric advanced life support (PALS) protocols will initiate measures to protect the infant or child’s airway and prevent possible respiratory arrest.

 

Parents educated and vigilant in symptoms typically found in RSV can have the reassurance that comes with knowing what to look for and what to do.  Regular check-ups with your pediatrician are recommended to help prevent diseases and illnesses common to the winter months.  Utilizing good hygiene and personal protective measures, such as frequent hand washing, even remaining out of the public to prevent spread of the virus is the best preventative course of action.  Any symptom of respiratory distress or concern for the above combination of symptoms warrants a 9-1-1 call.

 

Remaining vigilant during RSV season keeps winter months an enjoyable time for children and their parents.  Breathe easy this winter and keep RSV at bay!

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Training Children in Compression-Only CPR

By SureFire CPR | Published: February 21, 2012

Very often, we look at the need for onsite CPR training through the lens of adults.  Onsite classes are a must for businesses, schools, and any sort of organization for a host of obvious reasons.  Yet for equally obvious reasons, it’s also critical to teach children the basics of CPR.

 

After all, accidents happen in the unlikeliest of places, and often times, adults – much less medical professionals – are not nearby.  And with the American Heart Association and other health organizations promoting the easy-to-learn chest compression-only CPR approach, training children is a lot easier than you’d think.  Experts say that any child over the age of nine is physically able to perform this technique.

 

That said, there is nonetheless a time-tested set of instructions to convey to a child in the event of an emergency.  First, have the child call 911.  Second, if someone is downing, rather than jumping into the water, have the child throw a floatable device.  And third, if necessary, the child can perform compression-only CPR.

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Tips for Increasing Physical Activity’s FUN and BLS

By SureFire CPR | Published: February 21, 2012

 

I love watching little kids at play.  They are so in-the-moment, adventurous in their creativity and focus.  What would happen if we assumed that same in-the-moment focus with our own physical activity?

 

The benefits of staying active, living in the moment and maintaining our physical health as a priority has been well established.  Doing so isn’t always that easy.  Setting a goal for staying physically active is the first step.  Following through is the difficult part but can also be the most rewarding.  The American Heart Association has provided s a list of some of the extra benefits that come from staying physically active.

 

Consider the suggestions below as a motivational list of “perks” per se (www.heart.org):

 

- Keep that frame of mind in a great place by staying active.  Focused time “in the moment” during activity is reflective of a child’s play, something as adults we generally have to re-learn.  Doing so lightens our mood and helps create a positive attitude.

 

- Sleep habits improve with regular activity.  Energy levels increase as a result of a full night’s rest which also helps with weight loss.

 

- Concentration is sharper with physical activity.  Taking time to raise endorphin levels just 20 minutes prior to working on a project allows one to regain focus and maintain better concentration.

 

- Sharing physical activity with friends strengthens relationships, provides quality time with others and introduces new friendships.

 

- Avoid those sport injuries with a few minutes of pre and post work-out stretching.  In addition, balance and strength increases.  Consider doing a few yoga poses before and after you exercise.

 

Of course, before beginning any new physical exercise, seek the advice of your physician to keep problems (and that 9-1-1 call for BLS assistance) at bay.  Finding ways to create positive experiences while increasing overall activity levels are excellent steps that can be taken to help stay on target.  Meeting that one goal is sign of success with any exercise program.

 

Taking a moment to reflect on the early days of childhood and mimicking an in-the-moment focus while staying physically active has tremendous benefits to overall well-being.  Steps such as these support healthier lifestyles, maybe even keep us old-folks young at heart!

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