Sudden cardiac arrest

Definition

Sudden cardiac arrest is the sudden, unexpected loss of heart function, breathing and consciousness. Sudden cardiac arrest usually results from an electrical disturbance in your heart that disrupts its pumping action and causes blood to stop flowing to the rest of your body.

Sudden cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack, which occurs when blood flow to a portion of the heart is blocked, depriving the heart muscle of necessary oxygen. Like a heart attack, however, sudden cardiac arrest almost always occurs in the context of other underlying heart problems, particularly coronary artery disease.

Sudden cardiac arrest is a medical emergency. If not treated immediately, it is fatal, resulting in sudden cardiac death. With fast, appropriate medical care, survival is possible. Administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) — or even just rapid compressions to the chest — can improve the chances of survival until emergency personnel arrive.

Causes

The immediate cause of sudden cardiac arrest is usually an abnormality in your heart rhythm (arrhythmia), the result of a malfunction in your heart's electrical system.

Unlike other muscles in your body, which rely on nerve connections to receive the electrical stimulation they need to function, your heart has its own electrical stimulator — a specialized group of cells called the sinus node, located in the upper right chamber (right atrium) of your heart. The sinus node generates electrical impulses that flow in an orderly manner through your heart to synchronize heart rate and coordinate the pumping of blood from your heart to the rest of your body.

If something goes wrong with the sinus node or the flow of electric impulses through your heart, an arrhythmia can result, causing your heart to beat too fast, too slow or in an irregular fashion. Often, these interruptions in rhythm are momentary and harmless. But some types of arrhythmia can be serious and lead to a sudden stop in heart function (sudden cardiac arrest).

The most common cause of cardiac arrest is an arrhythmia called ventricular fibrillation — when rapid, erratic electrical impulses cause your ventricles to quiver uselessly instead of pumping blood. Without an effective heartbeat, your blood pressure plummets, cutting off blood supply to your vital organs.

Most of the time, cardiac-arrest-inducing arrhythmia don't occur on their own. In a person with a normal, healthy heart, a sustained arrhythmia is unlikely to develop without some outside trigger, such as an electrical shock, the use of illegal drugs, or trauma to the chest at just the wrong time of the heart's cycle (commotio cordis).

(MayoClinic.com)

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consciousness (noun) - the condition of being conscious: the normal state of being awake and able to understand what is happening around you

disturbance (noun) - something that stops you from working, the act of disturbing something

heart attack (noun) - a sudden painful and dangerous condition in which your heart stops beating properly

deprive (verb) - to take something away from someone or something

coronary (adjective) - of or relating to the heart and especially to the vessels that supply blood to the heart

fatal (adjective) - causing death

cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (noun) - a way of trying to save the life of someone who has stopped breathing and whose heart has stopped beating

survival (noun) - the state or fact of continuing to live or exist especially in spite of difficult conditions

chamber (noun) - a small space inside something

impulses (noun) - a small amount of energy that moves from one area to another

synchronize (verb) - to cause (things) to agree in time or to make (things) happen at the same time and speed, to happen at the same time and speed

momentary (adjective) - lasting a very short time : lasting only a moment

quiver (verb) - to shake rapidly with small movements or tremble

vital (adjective) - needed by your body in order to keep living

organ (noun) - a part of the body (such as the heart or liver) that has a particular function

sustain (verb) - to provide what is needed for (something or someone) to exist, continue, etc.

trigger (noun) - something that causes something else to happen

trauma (noun) - a serious injury to a person's body

Michael Jackson dead at 50

The eccentric icon of American pop music rose to international fame with albums such as 1982's "Thriller." (NBC Video/YouTube)
Mr. Michael Jackson had been scheduled to perform 50 concerts at the O2 arena in London beginning next month and continuing into 2010. The shows were positioned as a comeback, with the potential to earn him up to $50 million, according to some reports.

Dehydration and youth sports: Curb the risk

If you're sweltering in the stands at a youth sporting event, imagine what it's like for the athletes. Learn who's at risk of dehydration — and how to prevent it.

( found on Mayo Clinic.com)

Children don't adapt as well as adults do to exercise in hot, humid weather. They produce more heat, sweat less and may be less likely to drink enough fluids during exercise — all of which increase the risk of dehydration. In turn, dehydration can lead to heat-related illnesses, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. But you don't need to worry from the sidelines. Understand how heat-related problems happen and know how to prevent them.

Who's at risk?

Any child who exercises in the heat may be at risk of dehydration. The concern is often greatest for young athletes who participate in football, soccer, cross-country and other sports that start in late summer.

Your child may be particularly vulnerable to dehydration and other heat-related illnesses during summer workouts if he or she:

• Rarely exercises
• Is overweight or obese
• Has had a recent illness that caused vomiting or diarrhea
• Has had a previous heat-related illness

Football players face special risks in the heat when exercising hard while wearing full protective gear.

Acclimating to the heat

Heat-related problems are most likely within the first few days of practice. That's why it's best to take it easy at first, gradually increasing the amount of activity — and the amount of protective equipment — as the days pass. Young athletes may need up to two weeks to safely acclimate to the heat.

During hot and humid conditions, the American Academy of Pediatrics encourages coaches to:

• Reduce the intensity of physical activity lasting more than 15 minutes
• Require young athletes to drink plenty of fluids before practice and during regular beverage breaks — even if they aren't thirsty
• Limit clothing to a single layer of light-colored, lightweight material

Know when to slow down — or call it quits

Sometimes it's simply too hot and muggy to go full throttle on the field. To determine when heat and humidity make strenuous exercise risky for young athletes, your child's coach may monitor the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) — the standard index of temperature and humidity combined. If the WBGT is too high, outdoor athletic activities may need to be limited or canceled.

Spotting dehydration and other heat-related problems

Even mild dehydration can affect your child's athletic performance and make him or her lethargic and irritable. Left untreated, dehydration increases the risk of other heat-related illnesses, including heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

Encourage your child to pay attention to early signs and symptoms of dehydration, including:

• Dry or sticky mouth
• Thirst
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Cramps
• Excessive fatigue

Remind your child that he or she is responsible for reporting these signs and symptoms to the coach right away. Don't let embarrassment keep your child on the field. If dehydration is detected early, fluids and rest may be all that's needed. If your child seems confused or loses consciousness, seek emergency care.

Prevention is key

If your child plays sports in hot weather, encourage him or her to drink plenty of fluids before, during and after practices and games. Teach your child the signs and symptoms of dehydration, as well as the importance of speaking up if they occur. Involve your child's coach, too. Talk to the coach about adjusting the intensity of practice depending on the temperature and humidity on the field — and support the coach's decision to cancel games and practices when it's dangerously hot outside.

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the stands (noun) - the rows of seats in a stadium that people sit in when they are watching a sports event, concert, etc.

dehydration (noun) – is the loss too much water, a dangerous lack of water in the body resulting from inadequate intake of fluids or excessive loss through sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea

adapt (verb) - to change your behavior so that it is easier to live in a particular place or situation

sweat (noun) - the clear liquid that forms on your skin when you are hot or nervous also called perspiration

cramps (noun) - a sudden painful tightening of muscle in a part of the body

heat exhaustion(noun) - a condition that happens when someone is too active in extremely hot conditions and that causes a person to sweat and feel very weak, dizzy, etc.

heatstroke (noun) - a serious condition that happens when someone has been in high temperatures for a long time and that causes a person to stop sweating, have a very high body temperature, and become exhausted or unconscious

vulnerable (adjective) - easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally, or emotionally

vomiting (verb) - to have the food, liquid, etc., that is in your stomach come out through your mouth because you are sick

diarrhea (noun) - an illness that causes you to pass waste from your body very frequently and in liquid rather than solid form

acclimate (verb) - to adjust or adapt to a new climate, place, or situation

muggy (adjective) - unpleasantly warm and humid

at full throttle (noun phrase) - as fast as possible

strenuous (adjective) - requiring or showing great energy and effort

lethargic (adjective) - feeling a lack of energy or a lack of interest in doing things

irritable (adjective) - becoming angry or annoyed easily

fatigue (noun) - the state of being very tired : extreme weariness

consciousness (noun) - the condition of being conscious : the normal state of being awake and able to understand what is happening around you

Toothbrushes have more bacteria than toilet water

Found on Wednesday, June 24, By Tricia Chen, The China Post

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Bacterial growth in a standard household toothbrush has been found to be 80 times greater than in toilet water, a pilot study showed.

The report, published in the Australian Dental Journal, studied the microbial contamination of toothbrushes, and results showed that a large amount of bacteria remains and grows on used toothbrushes. "We do not realize how dirty our toothbrushes can get sometimes; it is vital that people are made aware of this," said local dentist Chiu Kuo-chou.

According to the study, bacteria grows faster in humid places, such as Taiwan. Chiu said bacteria can easily be transmitted through a cut in one's mouth to other parts of the body via blood veins. In severe cases, it can lead to diseases such as Sepsis, Chiu added.

Chiu said people should always make sure to not leave toothbrushes head down in cups because that prevents it from getting dry.

Used toothbrushes should be replaced with new ones every three months, he continued.

A new product that launched yesterday claimed to be the first toothbrush that reduces bacteria for as long as 90 days. Its special formula decreases the amount of bacteria that usually forms in toothbrushes.

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bacterial (noun) - any one of a group of very small living things that often cause disease

pilot (adjective) - done as a test to see if a larger program, study, etc., should be done

dental (adjective) - of or relating to teeth or to the work dentists do

microbial (adjective) - related to an extremely small living thing that can only be seen with a microscope such as a microorganism

contamination (noun) – is the act or process of contaminating or making (something such as a toothbrushes) dangerous, dirty, or impure by adding something harmful or undesirable to it

vital (adjective) - extremely important or crucial

aware (adjective) - knowing that something (such as a situation, condition, or problem) exists

humid (adjective) - having a lot of moisture in the air

transmit (verb) - to cause (a virus, disease, etc.) to be given to others

via (preposition) - by means of (a person, machine, etc.) : by using (something or someone)

vein (noun) - any one of the tubes that carry blood from parts of the body back to the heart

prevent (verb) - to stop (something) from happening or existing

Learning British English

If you don't mind learning British English (the English spoken in England), BBC Learning English is now part of the You-Tube network as well as Twitter.

Remember, American English (variously abbreviated AmE, AE, AmEng, USEng, en-US) is different from British English in terms of spelling (a classic example being the dropped "u" in words such as color/colour), grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and slang usage. Nonetheless, American English has become one of the most popular spoken English.

However, I believe English Learners should exposes themselves to a variety of different English accents and dialects. An accent is a manner of pronunciation of a language (such as found in American English, British English, Australian English, South African English or other English Languages) , while dialects are varieties of language differing in vocabulary, syntax , and morphology, as well as pronunciation. Dialects are usually spoken by a group united by geography or social status as found in the Southern American English.

Coraline Trailer

If you can't see a screen, click on Coraline Trailer and enjoy the trailer!

Some words to learn from this trailer:

Trailer: a selected group of scenes that are shown to advertise a movie: preview

preview: noun : a special show or performance that allows some people to see a movie, play, etc., before it is shown to the public

preview: verb: to see, hear, or show something (such as a movie) before it is available to the public

PG: Parental Guidance is suggested: used as a special mark to indicate that people of all ages may see a particular movie but that parents may want to watch the movie with their children

audience: noun : a group of people who gather together to listen to something (such as a concert) or watch something (such as a movie or play), the people who attend a performance

real: adjective: actually existing or happening : not imaginary

nightmare: noun : a dream that frightens a sleeping person : a very bad dream or a very bad or frightening experience or situation.

screenplay: noun : the written form of a movie that also includes instructions on how it is to be acted and filmed, the script for a movie

based on: verb: to form, make, or develop (something, such as an opinion, decision, or calculation) by using (something, such as information) as a basis, starting point, etc.

select: adjective: if used before a noun : of the highest quality

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head and Expression Of Faith by Bj Thomas

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

Raindrops are falling on my head

and just like the guy who's feet are too big for his bed,

nothing seems to fit

those,

raindrops are falling on my head, they keep falling

so I just did me some talking to the sun,

and I said I didn't like the way he got things done,

sleeping on the job

those,

raindrops are falling on my head they keep falling

But there's one thing, I know

the blues they sent to greet me won't defeat me.

It won't be long 'till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep falling on my head

but that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turning red.

Crying's not for me, cause

I'm never gonna stop the rain by complaining

because I'm free

nothing's worrying me

It won't be long till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep falling on my head

but that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turning red

crying 's not for me

Cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complaining

because I'm free

Nothing's worrying me

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Expression Of Faith

I have walked on the high wire

With no net to catch me

And I have stood in the spotlight

Where each flaw could be seen

And I've anteed my faith

To the mercy of strangers

'Cause when you ride on the big ride

You don't ride for free

And if we're only brief candles

Let's burn for a day

If we're only poor players

Let's rush to the stage

And if we don't know the ending

Let's begin anyway

It starts in your heart

An expression of faith

It starts in your heart

An expression of faith

Well the north wind is freezing

And the thunderclouds gather

Still we scatter the new seed

And we trust in the sun

And though this world is uncertain

We deliver our children

To life's great adventure

The promise of love

If we're only brief candles

Let's burn for a day

And if we're only poor players

Let's rush to the stage

And if we don't know the ending

Let's begin anyway

It starts in your heart

An expression of faith

It starts in your heart

An expression of faith

Some call it wisdom

And some call it pain

To find out the truth

To discover it's name

But when all that we know

Doesn't change anything

Expressions of faith

Are all that remain

If we're only brief candles

Let's burn for a day

If we're only poor players

Let's rush to the stage

And if we don't know the ending

Let's begin anyway

It starts in your heart

An expression of faith

It starts in your heart

An expression of faith