A cardiac arrest is a sudden stop in effective blood circulation due to the failure of the heart to contract effectively or at all by a blood clot.
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Symptoms
chest pain – a sensation of pressure, tightness or squeezing in the centre of your chest
pain in other parts of the body – it can feel as if the pain is travelling from your chest to your arms (usually the left arm is affected, but it can affect both arms), jaw, neck, back and abdomen
feeling lightheaded or dizzy
sweating
shortness of breath
feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
an overwhelming sense of anxiety (similar to having a panic attack)
coughing or wheezing
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Causes
Coronary heart disease (CHD)
Smoking/Alcohol
Diet
high blood pressure/diabetes
Being overweight or obese
Lack of exercise
Age and gender
Family history
Ethnicity
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Treatments
medication (aspirin, heparin, ticagrelor or bivalirudin)
Coronary angioplasty
bypass surgery
Morphine
initial treatment with medications
Medication to break down blood clots(reteplase,alteplase,and streptokinase)
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Physical impact
On the indivdual
Exercise- won’t be able to do much anymore
Scars from surgery
Difficult to have sex after a cardiac arrest
Having high blood pressure
Shortness of breath
Palpitations
On the family
Tired
They won’t look after themselves as much anymore
They put the patient wellbeing in front of theirs
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intellectual impact
On the indivdual
Fear of having another heart attack
Having the feeling of being close to death
Medication- have to be on them for the rest of their life
On the family
Think it their fault for them having a cardiac arrest
Wont be able to control the person
May not be able to look after them as well as the health professionals
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Emotional Impact
On the indivdual
Stressful
Depression
Anxiety
On the family
Feel sorry for them
Guilt- from telling them about their diet
Stress
Horrible
Depression
Fatigue
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Social Impact
On the indivdual
Won’t be able to catch up with friends in activities you used to do
Find it difficult to talk about their experience of being ill
On the family
Won’t be able to go out without think the patient could be un well
Won’t want to go out because of them feeling tired
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Financial impact
On the indivdual
Might have to leave work or retire from work early
Be living of benefits to support their family
Partner of parent have to be on sick pay to look after the person
On the family
May have to leave work to help support the person who had a cardiac arrest
Might have live on benefits
Might have to skip a day off work to take the patient to their appointment
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