Are you ready to react if someone collapses on the job?
As much time as we spend at work, it is not surprising that an individual may show symptoms of a heart attack or actually suffer cardiac arrest in the workplace. Reacting quickly to these heart health issues often means life or death. Be aware of the people in your office who are trained in CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) or AED (Automated External Defibrillator) use, and know the location of the AED.
What is the difference between heart attack and cardiac arrest?
- Heart Attack is often caused by a blood circulation problem, due to blocked arteries preventing oxygen-rich blood from reaching the heart. Symptoms vary, especially between women and men, but are often detected through discomfort in the chest or upper body. These symptoms may start slowly and persist for hours, a day, or even weeks, but may also become sudden and intense.
- Cardiac Arrest is an “electrical” problem of the heart, which often leads to the heart stopping—depriving the brain, lungs, or other organs of blood/oxygen. Death can occur within minutes if the heart is not restarted.
By being a Good Samaritan you can save lives through performing these three steps:
- Call 9-1-1, alert them of the situation and your location
- Begin CPR within 4 to 6 minutes of the first signs of cardiac arrest
- Administer an AED shock within 8 to 10 minutes if needed
These steps can help prevent the death of individuals experiencing cardiac arrest or heart attacks. It is important that individuals trained in CPR respond immediately. Dispatched Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) have an average respondent time of eight to twelve minutes. In the event of cardiac arrest, the use of the AED by a Good Samaritan will give the individual an increased chance of survival.
Danella employees are given safety training which includes learning the signs of heart issues and how to react. Employees can check with their Supervisors for more information on safety training and CPR courses that Danella provides. If you are not a part of Danella make sure to check out the American Heart Association’s Heartsaver courses for the workplace.