Author: Joshua Cato

According to the American Heart Association, each year in the U.S. there are approximately 359,400 Emergency Medical Services assessed cardiac arrests outside of a hospital setting and on average, less than 10% of victims survive. As a bystander of such an event, you can increase these chances of survival by performing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Every minute without CPR survival rate decreases by 10%.

Drug Overdose – characterized by slow breathing and heart rate, and a loss of consciousness.

• Unintentional Injuries in 2016 by 9.7% over 2015.
• Steady increase in drug overdose cases and mortality rate for the past 10 – 15 years has significantly contributed to this increase.
• Drug overdose is drug poisoning (overdoses of legal and illegal drugs)

Emergency Treatment

1. Call 911- if the person has collapsed and stopped breathing .
2. Begin CPR if necessary (Child CPR or Adult)
3. For Adults: Opioid overdose can be treated with a dose of Evzio (naloxone hydrochloride injection. A single dose can be carried in a pocket or stored in medicine cabinet.

Remember:  Even though Evzio can counter overdose effects in minutes professional help is still needed, so always call 911.

 

Hemorrhage can be mild such as in nose bleed,  or severe as in a severed limb. The effects of hemorrhage depends on the amount and rate of blood loss. Over about 30% of blood volume or 1.5 liters is considered life threatening. The most common organ to fail due to severe hemorrhage is the kidneys which results in death.  Ensure your own safety

The ABCs of Bleeding
■ A – Alert – call 9-1-1
■ B – Bleeding – find the bleeding injury
■ C – Compress – apply pressure to stop the bleeding by: 1. Covering the wound with a clean cloth and applying pressure by pushing directly on it with both hands, OR 2. Using a tourniquet, OR 3. Packing (stuffing) the wound with gauze or a clean cloth and then applying pressure with both hands. We will go over each of these points as we go through this booklet.

 

This can be defined as an emergency associated with difficulty or inability to breath correctly. Types of respiratory diseases include Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD),Chronic Bronchitis, Emphysema, Lung Cancer, Cystic Fibrosis/Bronchiectasis, Pneumonia and Pleural Effusion. If someone nearby is experiencing a fatal symptom of their disease, call emergency services immediately. In the meantime, remain calm and have the patient sit upright. Walk the individual through slow breathing techniques and try to give them a hot beverage to drink that will open up the airways. It is important that you seek emergency service rather than take matter in to your own hands. Emergency services have the equipment necessary to treat the patient such as breathing masks to allow for oxygen flow throughout the body even if the person is unconscious.