Seattle CPR has advanced and basic courses available all week, using Basic and Advanced Life Support guidelines in the course curricula. We offer a total of eight classes – five training classes and three re-certification classes. Enrollment is quite easy, with different ways available to sign up for the training program that you want. By far, the most popular enrollment method is on our website, where we have made an online form available 24/7 for prospective trainees to fill out. The website also has a list of all the classes, schedules, and rates so enrolling is easier.
Learning about hypertension and heart attacks
A factor that greatly contributes to a heart attack is hypertension (HTN). Hypertension is a chronic cardiovascular disease that is characterized by persistently high blood pressure. In order to be diagnosed by chronic hypertension, a person’s blood pressure has to be taken twice in a week, several days apart, with either systolic HTN, diastolic HTN or both.
Hypertensive values are as follows:
- Systolic hypertension – 140 and higher
- Diastolic hypertension – 90 and higher
- Systolic pre-hypertension – 120 to 139
- Diastolic pre-hypertension – 80 to 89
Values lower than those listed above are considered normotensive or within normal limits. If your blood pressure falls in the pre-hypertensive or hypertensive limits, it is important to seek medical help. You doctor may prescribe medication or instruct you to change your diet and add an exercise routine to control your hypertension.
But how does hypertension contribute to a heart attack?
A heart attack is typically caused by an obstruction in the blood vessels that supply the cardiac tissue with blood (coronary arteries). The obstruction is usually caused by a build up for fatty deposits and inflammatory cells called plaque, which cause the lumen of the vessel to narrow. When a person has hypertension, the vessels additionally become narrowed (vasoconstriction). During a hypertensive event, the sudden rise in blood pressure in addition to the plaque obstruction can suddenly cause the blood flow to the heart to stop – leading to a heart attack.
Training in CPR
When a victim’s heart stops, the first thing that should be done by bystanders and health care providers is to start CPR. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is made up of three basic skills – chest compressions, rescue breaths, and defibrillation. In an out-of-hospital arrest, only the first two skills are typically done while the last is only performed when an automated external defibrillator is available.
CPR certification in Seattle CPR is available through our five training courses, categorized into basic and advanced training. Basic courses use the Basic Life Support guidelines while advanced courses use the Advanced Life Support guidelines, both from the American Heart Association.
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (ALS)
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ALS)
- Heartsaver (BLS)
- Heartsaver C (BLS)
- Basic Life Support for HCPs (BLS)
Certificates are valid for two years. You can renew them (before they expire) through a re-certification class (available for the first two and last class on the list).