The survey also reveals that 41.7% of people fail to identify the symptoms of a heart attack.

Florida, June 2018.– According to a survey conducted by Cleveland Clinic, in conjunction with América Economía magazine, 70.8 percent of 700 Latin American executives surveyed said they did not know how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), an emergency technique It can maintain blood circulation and breathing. Of the people who do know how to perform the procedure, more than half do not know the proper frequency of chest compressions, with only 7.3% responding correctly that it is 100 to 120 compressions per minute.

A heart attack occurs when blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked, usually caused by a clot. Learning to revive a person could save his life since most cardiac arrests occur at home or outside a hospital. For The American Heart Association, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills are desperately needed worldwide.

“The survival rate of someone suffering from cardiac arrest outside a hospital is extremely low, approximately 10%. However, when viewers intervene in the emergency, the level of survival increases significantly, demonstrating that CPR saves lives and, in many cases, is the difference between life and death, “said Robert Cubeddu, Interventional Cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic Florida.

As for cardiac emergencies, which usually happen suddenly, it is necessary to know how to act when a heart attack occurs. Of those surveyed, 42.7% indicated that the first thing to do is call the emergency number, while only 16.6% indicated that aspirin should be taken, showing that few know that this medicine can prevent the attack from getting worse, because it reduces the speed of clotting and decreases the size of the blood clot.

Also, 41.7% of people who responded to the survey failed to identify the symptoms of a heart problem, which are chest strain, pain in one, or both arms and shortness of breath. Also, only 34.1% said that smoking increases narrowing and blockage of arteries, showing little knowledge of this bad habit.

The root of the ignorance of these negative effects of tobacco for heart health has to do, in the opinion of Dr. Cubbedu, with which people traditionally relate cigarettes to cancer and lung problems, “however I would dare to say that cardiovascular diseases are perhaps even more important. Myocardial infarction and heart disease represent the number one cause of mortality in our country (USA), and smoking is one of the first causes of risk factors associated with these cardiovascular diseases. ”

When a heart attack occurs, it is important to react on time, since it depends on the person who suffers it alive or dies or how long it will take to recover, says Dr. Cubeddu. “Even if you’re not sure it’s a heart attack, ask for help, quick action can save your life or that of a loved one.”

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About Cleveland Clinic Florida

Cleveland Clinic Florida is an academic, nonprofit, and multi-specialty medical center, where clinical and hospital care is integrated with research and education. With locations in Weston, Fort Lauderdale, Parkland, West Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens, Cleveland Clinic Florida has more than 260 doctors with experience in 55 specialties. The medical center is fully integrated and includes diagnostic centers, outpatient surgery, and an emergency department 24 hours a day located in the latest generation hospital.

Cleveland Clinic Florida ranked # 2 among the best hospitals in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metropolitan area and eighth in Florida in the 2017-2018 US News & World Report ranking of the best hospitals by metropolitan area. Cleveland Clinic Florida is an integral part of Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, where exceptional patient care is based on the principles of cooperation, compassion, and innovation. Cleveland Clinic doctors are experts in treating complex conditions that are difficult to diagnose.

For more information about Cleveland Clinic Florida, visit www.clevelandclinicflorida.org.