Heart smarts
Some of you may know that medical billing is part of my job. Billers often have to read detailed notes about encounters with patients in order to select the correct diagnosis and procedure codes. I like to educate myself by reading up on different conditions. This week, after learning that approximately 900 people a day die from sudden cardiac arrest, I decided to read a little on sudden cardiac death.
I’ve always thought cardiac arrest meant the heart stopped. But after watching the short video on the Inside Cardiac Arrest website I learned that sudden cardiac arrest actually happens when the heart starts beating irregularly. It usually occurs with no warning and it’s almost inevitable that if left untreated for more than a couple of minutes a patient in sudden cardiac arrest will die. The video, made by St Jude Medical, also contained information on risks, symptoms and treatments of sudden cardiac arrest.
I found the short video to be informative and easy to understand. Heart disease is so common and can strike anyone, so it’s in everyone’s best interest to educate themselves. Take a moment and check out the site for yourself.
