Health / Medical Education

High Blood Pressure is one of the most easily controllable risk factors for sudden cardiac arrest.

About 70% of US adults aged 65 or older have high blood pressure, but only about half have it under control. Despite having Medicare Part D prescription drug insurance, at least 25% of adults aged 65 or older are not taking their blood pressure medications as directed—according to the latest Vital Signs report.

Read more:

• Mind Your Risks and Act FAST to Prevent and Treat Strokes
• Atherosclerosis
• Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease

The most basic precepts in first aid treatment of minor injuries are to "clean, treat, protect". This helps a wound to heal, and as important - these steps help avoid infection or sepsis, which is a life-threatening complication of an infection.

Sepsis can be deadly:

• Sepsis is the body’s overwhelming and life-threatening response to an infection.
• Sepsis begins outside the hospital for nearly 80% of patients, yet 7 in 10 patients with sepsis had recently used healthcare services or had chronic diseases requiring frequent medical care.

There are over 200,000 cases of Sepsis in the USA each year! 

Sepsis occurs when chemicals released in the bloodstream to fight an infection trigger inflammation throughout the body. This can cause a cascade of changes that damage multiple organ systems, leading them to fail, sometimes even resulting in death.
Symptoms include fever, difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, fast heart rate, and mental confusion.
Treatment includes antibiotics and intravenous fluids.

Sepsis is a complication caused by the body’s overwhelming and life-threatening response to infection. It can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. Sepsis is difficult to diagnose. It happens quickly and can be confused with other conditions early on. Sepsis is a medical emergency. Time matters. When sepsis is quickly recognized and treated, lives are saved. Healthcare providers are the critical link to preventing, recognizing, and treating sepsis.

Healthcare providers can:

• Prevent infections. Follow infection control requirements (e.g., hand hygiene) and ensure patients receive recommended vaccines (e.g., flu and pneumococcal).
• Educate patients and their families. Stress the need to prevent infections, manage chronic conditions, and seek care if signs of severe infection or sepsis are present.
• Think sepsis. Know sepsis signs and symptoms to identify and treat patients early.
• Act fast. If sepsis is suspected, order tests to determine if an infection is present, where it is, and what caused it. Start antibiotics and other medical care immediately. Document antibiotic dose, duration, and purpose.
• Reassess patient management. Check patient progress frequently. Reassess antibiotic therapy 24-48 hours or sooner to change therapy as needed. Be sure the antibiotic type, dose, and duration are correct.

While we don't offer training (yet) on Zika Prevention and Protection, there are many great resources - from the Zika Information page, to CDC's Zika DIrectory, to some excellent Zika Blog Posts.

Now, too, there are new training resources online. If you are a health professional looking for Zika-related training, or just want to know more, visit the “Zika Training for Healthcare Providers” webpage to find key training opportunities and learning resources. This page will continue to be updated as new learning opportunities become available.

As a CPR training organization, healthy lifestyle, including moderate regular cardiovascular exercise, avoiding cholesterol, and managing weight are core principles to us - these are all controllable risk factors for cardiovascular disease and sudden cardiac arrest.

With Summer upon us and backyard cookouts in the offing, we thought it appropriate to share these Healthy Grilling Recipes from Million Hearts to help you go beyond burgers and hot dogs, and enjoy healthier options for the grill:

Did you know that this is Patient Safety Awareness Week? As the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) point out; “We are All Patients or will be One Day”

There is a need for a more concentrated effort to improve patient safety.

A new report from NPSF on the victories and shortcomings of the Patient Safety movement, suggests a need fora public health approach to combat the widespread issues of medical error and healthcare associated infections (HAIs).

THe NPSF urges healthcare professionals and patients to take action within their local medical settings to increase patient safety.

Learn more about Patient Safety Awareness Week
Find out 10 Things You Can Do to Be a Safe Patient

We've discussed HAI's and shared a really spectacular Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) Infographic, but perhaps haven't related how this pertains to healthcare workers, patients receiving medical care, bystander responders and others.

Healthcare associated infections are a major issue - so much so that in some types of hospitals (such as extended-term acute care hospitals, which provide complex medical care like ventilator or wound care, for long periods of time) 1 in 4 HAIs are caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are urgent and serious threats to health of patients and medical staff. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) published a report outlining the top 18 drug-resistant threats to the United States. These threats were categorized based on level of concern: urgent, serious, and concerning.

People who receive medical care can get serious infections called healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), which can lead to sepsis or death. Healthcare professionals should adopt critical actions with every patient every time to prevent HAIs and stop the spread of antibiotic resistance:

• According to the CDC Healthcare providers need to:
• Follow recommendations for preventing C. difficile and infections that can occur after surgery or are related to single-use catheters placed in the body. Follow recommended actions with every patient every time. Isolate patients when appropriate, and know antibiotic resistance patterns in your facility/area.
• Prescribe antibiotics correctly. Get cultures, start antibiotics promptly, and reassess 24-48 hours later. Know when to stop antibiotic treatment.

Related Topics: Universal Precautions, 8 Steps to Reduce Your Risk Of Deadly Healthcare-Associated Infections

We recently shared some helpful information on Avoiding Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)... now here's a great infographic on the subject.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)

In our bid to educate all about heart safety and avoiding Sudden Cardiac Arrest, we share lifestyle and risk factors that contribute to the thousands of cardiovascular deaths each year. The more you know, the easier to make healthy choices and the less likely you will be to suffer from cardiovascular disease.

Let's talk about your arteries:

Atherosclerosis: the gradual buildup of fat on the interior lining of the artery.

To show you how heart attacks and strokes can be traced directly to our diets, consider this:  When we are born, our arteries are like pipelines; clear and wide, and flowing easily with our lifeblood.  As we get older and our diets deteriorate, small deposits of fat can become lodged in our arteries.  These deposits calcify and become known as plaque. Atherosclerosis, is the gradual buildup of this plaque on the interior lining of the arteries. High blood pressure may be an early indication of this plaque narrowing the arteries.

As this build-up progresses, a condition may develop known as Angina Pectoris, which literally means “Chest Pain.” Angina is a precursor to heart attack, and feels similar to one.  People with Angina must take special medication whenever they experience the symptoms of an attack.  These people cannot solve their problem with diet or exercise; they have waited too long.  For cases of advanced atherosclerosis, invasive procedures may be the only alternative.  Angioplasty or Bypass Surgery are two methods of combating the condition, and both can be costly and dangerous.  If not caught in time, the tiny openings left in these arteries may become blocked, and the results are often quick and tragic.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a serious risk to patient safety. One in 25 U.S. patients will contract an infection during their hospital stay, according to the CDC’s first national and state HAI progress report; perhaps shockingly, this is an improvement from years prior. The report’s goal, analyzing data from 2013 but not published until this year, is to help aid in eliminating HAIs through surveillance and prevention programs- a reasonable target considering these infections are preventable.

“Research shows that when healthcare facilities, care teams, and individual doctors and nurses are aware of infection problems and take specific steps to prevent them, rates of some targeted HAIs can decrease by more than 70 percent,” the report reads.

There are five HAIs most often contracted by patients after their admission to the hospital: central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), Clostridium difficile infections commonly referred to as C.Diff, MRSA, and the most prevalent, surgical site infections (SSI).

While most safety measures must come from doctors, nurses and health facilities, there are steps patients can take to help reduce their risk of contracting HAIs, according to the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths.

1. Research the hospital’s HAI rate. This may take some diligence; start with the CDC’s progress report and ask hospital staff or your possible surgeons directly.

2. Ask your doctor about the devices used to keep you warm during surgery. Currently 80 percent of hospitals use the Bair Hugger Warming Blanket System; However, the device is also fighting multiple lawsuits for aiding in patients developing life-threatening SSIs.

3. Do not personally shave the surgical site prior to the operation. The blade may knick your skin, creating an opening - no matter how small- for bacteria to enter.

4. Keep your hands away from your mouth. This sounds easy but most people don’t realize how much they touch their face until their consciously trying not to. C.Diff can survive on various surfaces for days and is not killed by alcohol sanitizers. You should also be wary of where you place utensils while eating.

5. Keep track of time on the day of your surgery. Many surgeries require a pre-surgical antibiotic one hour before going under, remind a nurse if you don’t receive yours on time.

6. Pay attention to your IV. They should always be inserted and removed under clean conditions and changed regularly every three to four days, but ask your doctor for a specific timeline regarding your IVs. Let your nurses know if too much time goes by without a change or redness occurs.

7. Ask your doctor to test you for MRSA prior to the operation. One in three people have staph infections in their nose or on skin usually without ever becoming ill and two in every 100 people carry MRSA. If you test positive there are extra precautions the hospital staff can take to prevent the staph from developing into a life-threatening infection. The test is non-invasive, usually completed with a nasal swab.

8. Don’t be afraid to ask your caretakers to wash their hands in front of you. Many healthcare sites, including the CDC, advise patients to ask their doctors if it’s not done in front of them.

By: JMurell of Safer America

Heart disease and stroke cost America nearly $1 billion a day in medical costs and lost productivity. Explore CDC’s work to protect Americans' heart health, a strategy that can boost employers’ profitability and workers' well-being.

CDC PROTECTS AMERICA’S HEART HEALTH—FOR BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYEES

Heart disease and stroke are among the most widespread and costly health problems facing America’s employers today, yet they are also the most preventable. In 2011, cardiovascular disease cost the United States more than $300 billion—nearly $1 billion each day—in healthcare costs and lost productivity.

As the U.S. workforce ages, the economic impact of cardiovascular disease on America’s healthcare system will become even greater. By 2030, annual direct medical costs associated with cardiovascular disease are projected to rise to more than $818 billion, while lost productivity costs are projected to rise to more than $275 billion.

By focusing on science that protects America’s heart health, CDC helps improve worker health and lowers employers’ healthcare costs. CDC co-leads Million Hearts®, a national effort to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2017 by aligning public and private initiatives—including employers—across the United States.

In this issue of Business Pulse, explore how CDC’s heart-health research and tools can help keep your business healthy, productive and profitable.