The Heart & Heart Attacks

An educational program for Kaleida Health support staff

August 2009

The Heart & Heart Attacks

Objectives Discuss the basic functions of the heart Describe what occurs in a heart attack List 3 symptoms of a heart attack Explain what to do if chest pain or a

suspected heart attack occurs

The Heart as a Pump

The heart is a very specializedmuscle that pumps blood throughthe body, moving oxygen,carbon dioxide, nutrients andwaste for itself and all body tissues. The heart is located in the middleof the chest, between the lungs. The heart is about as big as aclenched fist.

The Heart as a Pump

The Heart works 24 hours a day-seven days a week for your entire life!

The Heart as a Pump

The Human Heart Beats: 100,000 times in one day.

35 million times in a year.

More than 2.5 bbillion times during an average lifetime. Every day the heart spends enough energy to drive a truck 20 miles. In a lifetime, this would be equivalent to driving to the moon and back.

The heart pumps about 1 million barrels of blood during an average lifetime.

The Heart as a Pump

The healthy heart pumps about 5 liters of blood through the body every minuteevery minute

Blood Flow to the Heart

The heart muscle itself gets nourishment to feed itself from tiny arteries on the surface of the muscle itself. These tiny arteries are called coronary arteries

Blood Flow to the Heart Coronary Arteries

The Heart has 3 main coronary arteries to carry blood to nourish itself

Blood Flow to the Heart Coronary Heart Disease

What is coronary heart disease?

Narrowing of coronary arteries by fatty deposits on inside wall.

Reduces flow of blood to the heart and increases the chances of a blood clot blocking the artery, resulting in a heart attack.

Heart Attacks

A Heart Attack happens when blood flow to a section of the heart muscle itself is blocked.

The heart muscle cannot live without this oxygenated blood and parts of the muscle begin to die or get damaged if treatment is delayed.

Heart attack- What are the warning signs?

Not every heart attack feels like what we see in the movies or on TV-sometimes the signs come and go or do not seem really terrible at the beginning.

Do not wait to see if they get worse, the longer treatment is delayed, the more damage that can occur.

Heart attack- What are the signs?

The signs of a Heart attack are not the same in every person

Any of the following could be present: Pain or discomfort in the chest-this could feel

like squeezing, pressure or a feeling of fullness Pain or discomfort in the jaw, shoulder, arm or

stomach Shortness of breath Upset stomach or nausea, indigestion or heartburn Lightheadedness or fainting

Heart Attack-What to do

If you or someone with you has these symptoms-getting help is very important!

If at Home-call 911911 as soon as possible Take an ambulance to the hospital emergency

department so treatment can start immediately

(If the symptoms happen and go away in less than 5 minutes-still at least call your doctor)

Heart Attack-What to do

If you or someone with you has these symptoms-getting help is very important!

If at the hospital For a patient, or visitor: Inform a nurse

immediately if you are in a nursing unit or department

For yourself-inform a colleague and ask them to assist to get you to the emergency department

If there is no nurse or doctor, and, the person is having difficulty breathing or experiencing fainting-Call a Code Blue

(If the symptoms happen and go away in less than 5 minutes-still at least call your doctor)

Heart Attack - DO NOT DELAY

Delay in getting help can make things worse…

It is important to : Remember the signs of a Heart attack Understand the importance of getting to

the hospital Emergency Department right away

Do not be embarrassed or afraid- when in doubt-get checked outwhen in doubt-get checked out