Have you ever heard an older person complain of an uneasy feeling in their heart? Does anyone in your family or friends have a pacemaker? The uncomfortable feeling in the chest often arises from an irregular heartbeat. It may sound like a minor thing, but having an irregular heartbeat is a sign of an unhealthy nervous system. The National Library of Medicine says that the United States of America has approximately 3 million people with pacemakers. The country has had more than 3000 models of pacemaker devices since its launch in the 1950s. Even though a pacemaker does its job well, mistakes do happen. To avoid any casualties, people should invest in taking life-saving courses. This article looks into understanding the pacemaker better. You also learn about the best place to take a CPR online certification for emergencies.
What is a pacemaker and its use?
The human heart has muscles and blood vessels like any other organ in the body. So what makes it so unique? Besides having its muscles, this organ has an extra set that works like a pump. These muscles contract and expand to allow the movement of blood across the body. The brain sends signals from nerve impulses to these muscles for work. When there is a disturbance in this signal, the heart muscles cannot work well. A missing signal or an extra signal from the brain could disrupt the blood flow and cause damage to other parts of the body. Multiple missed signals could lead to a cardiac arrest and prove fatal.
A pacemaker is an electronic device that stabilizes the irregular nerve impulse in the body. It has wires going into the heart muscles. The pacemaker assesses the impulse from the brain and analyzes the heart’s response. If the heart rate is slow, the pacemaker corrects this and sends an extra impulse to the heart. The same happens if the heart rate is fast. Modern-day pacemakers can recognize the physical condition of the body. They work extra hard to provide the correct rhythm when you work out.
People who need a pacemaker most likely survived a cardiac arrest. They either gained consciousness themselves or had bystanders help with CPR. The pacemaker sits under the left collarbone on the chest. Its wires go all the way into the heart and connect to the nerve nodes in the muscles. A pacemaker has a battery life of a maximum of 15 years. But some could also last for only 5 years.
How does CPR help in cardiac arrest?
Cardiac arrest is a fatal illness that does not rectify on its own. The blood circulation in the body stops, and you can’t breathe anymore. These situations are synonymous with death. However, there is still hope with CPR. If you know CPR, you can help a cardiac arrest patient in the following ways.
- Timely CPR helps in restarting the blood circulation in the body of a cardiac arrest patient. The chest compressions work for the heart and keep the blood moving. This action ensures that deoxygenated blood goes away from organs and they get oxygenated blood.
- CPR saves the patient from entering a vegetative state. With no oxygen-rich blood, the brain cells are dying. Once a person experiences brain death, no other organ in the body works; doctors call this the vegetative state.
- A cardiac arrest patient cannot inhale and hence could also die due to suffocation. CPR ensures the patient receives forced air through the steps and helps recover. One step in CPR includes delivering breaths to the patient through the mouth.
- A CPR online certification teaches bystanders to call 911 as the first step. Hence a certified first aider will fasten the arrival of the emergency response team and help in faster recovery of the person.
Why should you take an online CPR certification?
Taking a new course comes with many challenges. The most apparent problem revolves around the amount of time you will need to complete this course. The university or institute that can offer the course you need is also a big question. Another issue with upskilling is the accreditation the certification should hold. Many people could live in the countryside and have lesser accredited universities. All these problems point towards one solution- online courses. Studying online comes with many advantages. Life-saving courses have a special place in the online education segment. You gain the below-mentioned advantages when taking an online CPR certification.
- Online courses allow you to learn at the time that suits you best. CPR courses also offer self-paced learning modules. With this format, you can skip a study day if you finish the module within the set timeline.
- People in the countryside may need better institutes that offer CPR courses. But, an online course allows you to study from anywhere across the world.
- Every course has a governing body that ensures students only get accredited certifications. A CPR certification has OSHA and AHA for this job. CPR online courses with these accreditations are authentic and will allow you to practice.
- The online option works best if you wish to gain global exposure from your courses. A local college may only help interact with students from the same area. Online education has students from across the globe and helps broaden your horizons.
Conclusion
A pacemaker is a revolutionary device that helps your heart work. It has saved many lives, and with new technology, better devices will make healing fast. While this device ensures your heart keeps working, taking a precautionary course always helps. You can consider it a backup plan if the pacemaker fails. A CPR online certification teaches you the basics of this technique. You gain the confidence to approach an unconscious person and save a life. Is finding an institute for your course difficult? Check the American HealthCare Academy. This group has a comprehensive CPR certification. Their tutors come from AHA and OSHA and put together a nationally recognized course. Log onto the AHCA website and keep your loved ones safe with the CPR course.