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What should I do if the heart has stopped?

admin — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:01:45 +0000

Strike the chest smartly over the heart. This may be enough to start the beat. If not, quickly place the heel of one hand on the lower half of the breastbone and cover it with the heel of the other hand. Press down firmly on the lower part of the breastbone by rocking forward with your arms straight. Do this about once a second for an adult. For a child, use one hand only and press more rapidly—about 80 times a minute. For a baby, use finger tips only and press 100 times a minute. Meanwhile, you must continue giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. If you are alone, alternate two inflations of the lungs by mouth-to-mouth breathing with 15 heart compressions. Counting aloud will help you. If you have help, one person should do mouth-to-mouth breathing only; the other should do the heart compressions. The two of you should not act simultaneously, but alternate one air inflation with six heart compressions.

What if someone just doesn’t start breathing?

admin — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:11:12 +0000

What if someone just doesn’t start breathing? Is there anything else I can do?

If a person is not breathing, it may be because his heart has stopped. This is particularly likely in cases of severe electric shock. If, in spite of your efforts, the first four breaths produce no result, continue to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, but between breaths, check that his heart is beating.

How can I tell if his heart has stopped beating?

Feel for the pulse to the side of, and behind, the Adam’s apple. If you can feel no pulse, the heart has stopped. The patient will be blue-gray in color and his pupils will be dilated.

What do I do if someone stops breathing?

admin — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 23:14:06 +0000

Anyone who is with you should immediately summon emergency aid, but don’t waste a second shifting the patient or calling for help yourself. Your one aim is to get air into his body as fast as possible, and you have three priorities: make sure his air passages are clear; breathe air into his lungs; and stimulate his heart if it has stopped beating. In a baby or small child who has been choking or gasping for breath before becoming unconscious, the air passage is probably blocked by some object stuck in his throat, so immediately hold the child up by the heels, or over your lap with his head down, and slap his back sharply several times. This alone will probably be enough to dislodge the object and enable breathing to start again. In an adult, clear the air passage by bending the patient’s head back as far as it will go, pressing firmly on the forehead or pulling on his hair. At the same time, push the lower jaw upward and forward until the teeth meet. (Don’t be afraid to pull the head really well back—it is surprising just how far back the neck can stretch). In this position, the tongue cannot fall back and block the back of the throat and that may be the only reason why an unconscious person cannot breathe. He may now gasp and start breathing. If not, quickly check the inside of his mouth for any other obstructions—false or broken teeth, blood, vomit, or mucus—that may be blocking the air passage. If this happens, reach into his mouth with your fingers and scoop out the contents fast. If he still doesn’t start to breathe, you must start mouth-to-mouth resuscitation immediately.

Can’t a sudden fright or hearing very bad news cause shock?

admin — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 23:54:10 +0000

Does this have the same dangerous effect on the body?
True shock is always caused by a serious shortage of blood supply to the brain, usually due to the kind of emergencies . However, severe fright, extreme pain, a horrifying sight, or other violent emotional experience can cause a kind of shock. Known as nerve shock, this usually causes fainting, due to an impairment of the nervous system, but it may result in many of the symptoms of shock already described. In nerve shock, blood tends to pool in the blood vessels, so that there is less blood available for general circulation. The big difference between this kind of emotional shock and serious physical shock, however, is that nerve shock can almost always be quickly and simply relieved by treating the patient for fainting. In this case, too, it will do no harm to give the patient a warm, sweetened drink—but not alcohol—once he is conscious and has started to recover. However, it is vital to remember that these measures apply only where the cause of shock is purely emotional, and can be dangerously time-wasting if the patient is suffering from true shock following some medical emergency.

Won’t alcohol or a warm drink help for shock patient?

admin — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:03:08 +0000

No. On the contrary, such drinks may be positively harmful. The heat from a warm drink, just like that of a hot-water bottle, will tend to divert much-needed blood away from the brain to other parts of the body. Alcohol, too, causes the blood vessels in the skin to open up and carry more blood to the skin (that is what produces the familiar feeling of warmth we experience after a drink). Unconscious casualties could choke to death if forced to drink. Those with chest, abdominal, or internal injuries could be further injured. And many casualties will need an anesthetic after arrival in hospital, for which it is necessary to have an empty stomach. Even burn victims, who need fluids, should be given only cool water drinks.

How should shock be treated?

admin — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:38:53 +0000

Stop any bleeding by direct pressure and call urgently for medical help. Remember, shock is caused by a shortage of blood to the brain, and without blood the brain cannot function for long. Treatment must therefore be directed toward restoring the blood supply to the brain as quickly as possible. In the case of heavy bleeding or loss of body fluid, medical treatment will probably involve a transfusion to replace the blood or fluid lost. That is why it is vital to get the patient to hospital as fast as possible even when bleeding has been stemmed.

While waiting for an ambulance to arrive, keep the patient quiet, comfortable, and reassured. Above all, keep his head low, so that blood can reach the brain more easily. If possible, arrange the patient so that he is lying down with his legs raised (on pillows, cushions, or folded coats) and his head turned to one side in case he vomits. If he is unconscious, use the coma position. Loosen any tight clothing and cover him with a blanket or coat. Keep the room warm, but do not overheat the patient or use a hot water bottle to warm him. The heat from this will divert blood away from the brain, where it is vitally needed, to the skin, where it is not. Give nothing to eat or drink, except to a conscious burned casualty.

What is shock?

admin — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:36:14 +0000

Shock is a dangerous state of collapse, which, if not controlled, can be fatal.

What causes shock?

Shock occurs when the supply of blood to the brain is reduced to such an extent that the brain cannot operate efficiently, and the vital body functions that it controls are disrupted. Shock may therefore arise in any condition that upsets the circulation of the blood, such as heavy loss of blood or body fluids (as in serious injuries, large fractures, and burns); internal bleeding from a burst appendix or perforated ulcer; heart attack, or stroke. If the blood supply to the brain is cut off entirely, the brain cannot survive for long, and the person may easily die.

How can I tell if someone is suffering from shock?

When a person goes into shock, he may feel giddy and nauseous, grow extremely pale, and perspire profusely. His skin may be cold and clammy, his vision blurred, and his breathing rapid but shallow. He may complain of thirst, become restless and anxious, and possibly lose consciousness. However, the vital thing to remember is that shock is likely to occur in any serious medical emergency and should be treated urgently without waiting for specific symptoms to appear.

When is an anti-tetanus injection needed after a wound?

admin — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 10:14:33 +0000

Tetanus (sometimes called lockjaw because it causes spasms of the jaw) is a very serious infection that can be fatal. It is caused by organisms that live in the large intestines of most domestic animals. These organisms pass out with the excreta of such animals and go on living for a long time in dirt, soil, or street dust. If a wound is contaminated by such dirt or soil, some of these organisms may get into the body. Particularly hazardous are so-called puncture wounds, from, say, a rusty nail or a dog bite, which may cause little bleeding but go deep under the skin. Because children are so likely to suffer minor cuts and scrapes while playing, it is standard practice to immunize children against tetanus during their first year and every few years thereafter. If, however, your child suffers a puncture wound, or any other wound from a object that has been lying in the dirt or out of doors, you should ask your doctor to give the child a booster injection if he has not had a shot for one year. If the victim is an adult, ask a doctor whether an anti-tetanus inoculation is necessary.

Bleeding;applying antiseptic

admin — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 10:12:20 +0000

While it is important to prevent harmful bacteria from entering a cut where they may cause infection, most doctors agree that ordinary soap and water are sufficient to remove these bacteria from the skin, and any germs that do enter a small wound will probably be killed more effectively by the body s natural defenses than by an antiseptic. If you do wish to use an antiseptic, doctors say, choose isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol—it is just as effective as any other antiseptic and is less likely to cause an allergic reaction. Be sure to apply it to the skin around the wound, rather than on the wound itself. The body naturally sheds dirt and germs to the surface of a wound, and any antiseptic applied directly to a wound may seal germs in rather than keeping them out. In the case of a large or deep wound there is, of course, a much greater risk of infection, and such wounds should always be treated by a doctor.

What is the best treatment for just a small cut or scratch?

admin — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 10:08:48 +0000

Wash the cut under cold running water, and cleanse the surrounding skin with soap and water, remembering to wipe away from the wound edges. Pat it dry with a sterile gauze pad, and cover it with a small bandage to prevent infection.