Your heart is a vital organ which pumps blood around your body, which is essential for life, but how often do we take our heart for granted? The heart is made up of 4 chambers and is connected to the lungs through major blood vessels. This allows deoxygenated blood from the body to be pumped into the lungs from one side of the heart, and then on the other side of the heart, oxygenated blood from the lungs is then pumped throughout the body.
According to the British Heart Foundation 7.6 million Britons are living with a heart or circulatory condition in the UK. This has a corresponding effect that 1 person dies of a heart or circulatory disease in the UK every 3 minutes, and 1 person every 5 minutes is admitted to hospital with a stroke.
This February is Heart Month raising awareness about your heart and how precious it is for all people. The British Heart Foundation are encouraging all to learn how to perform CPR and provides an online training video for how to perform CPR.
When a person has a cardiac arrest, this causes their heart to stop beating and is no longer pumping oxygenated blood around their body. CPR is therefore a vital tool that can continue this process while waiting for emergency assistance to arrive. CPR also provides oxygen to the brain which will help give the best chance of survival.
A stroke can also be a devastating consequence of a circulatory disease. Strokes cause 35,000 deaths a year in the UK, and are a source of significant disability. High levels of cholesterol as well as irregular heartbeats can increase your chance of having a stroke. An irregular heartbeat can cause blood clots to form in the chambers of the heart which are then pumped out of the heart and can then become lodged in the brain causing a stroke.
Heart health, including being aware of your cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, can help reduce your risk of stroke. The FAST signs of stroke are also important to be aware of, does the person has Facial weakness, Arm weakness, Speech problems if so, it is Time to call 999. Early recognition and treatment of stroke can give someone the best chance of recovery.
Lauren Kerse, Associate Director and Specialist Medical Negligence Solicitor from MDS, said “We often see the devastating outcome cardiac arrests and strokes can have on people and their loved ones. Taking steps to prevent your risk as well how to perform CRP and recognise the symptoms of a stroke can be truly lifesaving.”
MDS is a specialist medical negligence law firm. We specialise in claims involving cancer, maternity, and cauda equina syndrome. Our expert solicitors represent clients all around England and Wales, and we are dedicated to helping people who have been injured by medical negligence.
Our solicitors have extensive experience of representing clients and their families whose lives have been affected by cardiac arrest and stroke. Click here to read more about how we can help you, and here to listen to one of our client’s stories.
If you are concerned about any care that you or a member of your family has received, please contact our experienced team on 0116 254 7456 or email: enquiries@moosaduke.com. You can also enquire online by clicking here.
