A Terminale student who was taking the baccalaureate in Lille on March 22, 2023 died of a heart attack during the test. The symptoms of heart disease are similar to those of a heart attack.
in full baccalaureate exam in Lille, A high school student with heart problems East died on Tuesday March 22 after a heart attack Emergency services have been contacted “directly” And the teenager “immediately placed in the lateral safety position”said the rectorate to AFP, according to Release. What is a heart attack? How to recognize it? Save the person?
We are talking about heart disease when a person complains of symptoms characteristic of cardiac dysfunction, i.e. a chest pain (often in a vice) which can sometimes radiate to the arm, neck or jaw. This heart attack can be accompanied by breathing problems, nausea, stomach aches and hyper-sweating. It is due to a decrease in oxygenation of the heart and it generally appears in the event of obstruction of the coronary arteries. This is an emergency that requirescall the SAMU Or firefighters.
“In women, pain can be less intense”
A person suffering from a heart attack complains pain squeezing the chest and sometimes radiating to other upper parts of the body (including the arm, shoulder, neck, lower jaw or stomach). These signs may be accompanied by difficulty breathing, sweating, nausea, even abdominal pain. They sometimes occur after intense effort. In women, the pain may be less intense and instead results in a vague feeling of discomfort in the chest. It is no less dangerous.
The term “heart attack” does not mean anything medically. When we speak of “heart attack” we generally refer to myocardial infarction:
- Myocardial infarction : the blood circulation to the heart is interrupted, the supply of oxygen decreases which causes damage to the heart and can lead to cardiac arrest. We speak of a “heart attack” when the obstruction is sudden.
- heart disease is the symptomatic expression of the heart attack, that is to say the feeling of discomfort and the pains which result from the interruption of the blood circulation in a part of the heart.
The main cause of the interruption of blood circulation at the level of the muscle of the heart is narrowing and hardening of the arteries, also called atherosclerosis. It is characterized by the accumulation of fatty patch inside the wall of an artery. Over time, the artery hardens, then narrows and clogs. Plaque can also rupture, which causes blood to clot and form a blood clot that can grow larger, block a coronary artery and cut off blood flow to the heart, causing a heart attack. Heart discomfort can also occur when heart pathologies. Finally, a heart attack can also be caused by coronary artery spasm which temporarily constricts and interrupts blood flow in the artery. Some recreational drugs like cocaine can cause a life-threatening spasm. The causes of spasms are often unknown.
Prompt treatment can prevent or limit the damage a heart attack causes to the heart. We must act quickly by composing first 15 or 112 at the first signs of a heart attack. Emergency treatment can start in the ambulance during transport to the hospital.
► If the person is breathing
Waiting for help, put the person to rest in a comfortable position (lying down or, if she wishes, in a semi-sitting or sitting position). If she loses consciousness but continues to breathe, place her in the lateral safety position (PLS) : Lying on your left side, folding your top leg to stabilize it. Open his mouth to avoid choking if he vomits.
► If the person is not breathing
Lay her on her back and you have been trained in first aid, you can practice cardiac massage by performing 30 strong pressures on the rib cage at a regular rhythm then 2 breaths (or mouth to mouth) every 30 pressures.
The risks of heart attack are very serious since it can be fatal. Only 5% of people who suffer from heart disease are saved, according to the French firefighters.
Do not underestimate the situation: even if the person claims that it is not serious, they must be taken care of immediately. If you know the first aid gestures, get started, you can only help the person.