​Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives annually. While many associate cardiac emergencies with hospitals or homes, the reality is that these life-threatening events can happen anywhere—including the workplace. This is why Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training has become an essential component of workplace safety programs.

​An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a portable, user-friendly device designed to detect abnormal heart rhythms and deliver an electric shock to restore normal cardiac function. Modern AEDs provide voice prompts and visual instructions, making them accessible even to those without medical training.

1. Time is Critical
When someone experiences sudden cardiac arrest, every second counts:
Brain damage can begin within 4-6 minutes without oxygen
Chances of survival decrease by 10% for every minute without defibrillation
Effective CPR combined with AED use within 3-5 minutes can increase survival rates to 70% or higher
In most cases, emergency medical services take 8-12 minutes to arrive. Having trained employees who can respond immediately can mean the difference between life and death.

2. Legal and Regulatory Compliance
Many jurisdictions now require workplaces to:
Maintain AEDs on premises, especially in high-risk environments
Ensure employees receive proper training
Comply with occupational health and safety regulations
While specific requirements vary by location, proactive AED training demonstrates corporate responsibility and can protect organizations from potential liability

3. Increased Survival Rates
Statistics speak volumes:
Workplaces with AED programs report survival rates of 60-90% for witnessed cardiac arrests
Without an AED, survival rates drop to less than 5%
Early defibrillation is the single most important factor in surviving sudden cardiac arrest

4. Employee Confidence and Morale
AED training provides:
Peace of mind knowing colleagues can respond in emergencies
Empowerment through life-saving skills
Improved workplace culture centered on safety and care
Reduced panic during high-stress emergency situations

Do you want to learn how to use an AED and save a life? Enroll in one of our CPR AED classes here at Help-A-Heart CPR and learn how to use the AED with infants, children, and adults. Register now for one of our upcoming CPR AED classes or call (210) 380-5344 or email us directly at [email protected]

​Anaphylactic shock, also known as anaphylaxis, is a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that requires immediate medical attention. Recognizing the symptoms quickly can be the difference between life and death. This guide will help you understand what to look for and when to act.

​Anaphylactic shock occurs when the immune system overreacts to an allergen, releasing chemicals that cause the body to go into shock. Blood pressure drops suddenly, and airways narrow, making breathing difficult. Without prompt treatment, anaphylaxis can be fatal within minutes.

​1. Foods: Peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, fish, milk, eggs
2. Insect stings: Bees, wasps, hornets, fire ants
3. Medications: Penicillin, aspirin, certain antibiotics
4. Latex: Medical gloves, balloons, condoms
5. Exercise: In rare cases, physical activity can trigger anaphylaxis

Skin Reactions:
1. Hives or welts across the body
2. Flushing or pale skin
3. Severe itching
4. Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat

Respiratory Symptoms:
1. Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
2. Wheezing or whistling sound when breathing
3. Tightness in the throat or chest
4. Hoarse voice
5. Persistent coughing

​Cardiovascular Signs:
1. Rapid or weak pulse
2. Low blood pressure (hypotension)
3. Dizziness or lightheadedness
4. Fainting or loss of consciousness
5. Chest pain
​
Gastrointestinal Symptoms:
1. Nausea and vomiting
2. Abdominal cramping or pain
3. Diarrhea

Neurological Symptoms:
1. Confusion or anxiety
2. Sense of impending doom
3. Loss of consciousness
4. Headache

Would you like to learn more about anaphylactic shock and other first aid emergencies? Register for one our CPR AED First Aid classes here at Help-A-Heart CPR, LLC. You can also reach us directly at (210) 380-5344 or [email protected]

Epinephrine first came into medical use in 1905, when it was used for demonstrating cerebral vasoconstriction by physiologist Carl Wiggers (Greer, 2015). Epinephrine, also called adrenaline, is both a hormone and a neurotransmitter. Epinephrine is a life-saving medication used in emergency situations to help treat severe allergic reactions and cardiac emergencies. If you’ve heard of an EpiPen, you’ve already heard of epinephrine—it’s the medication inside the device.
Understanding what epinephrine is and when it’s used is an important part of CPR and First Aid education, especially for parents, teachers, childcare providers, and healthcare workers.

​Epinephrine is most commonly used to treat:
1. Severe Allergic Reactions (Anaphylaxis)
2. Anaphylaxis can happen quickly and may be caused by:
3. Food allergies (such as peanuts or shellfish)
4. Insect stings
5. Medications
6. Latex exposure
​
​Symptoms may include difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or throat, hives, vomiting, dizziness, or collapse. Epinephrine helps reverse these dangerous symptoms while emergency help is on the way.

Epinephrine is also used in cardiac emergencies. Epinephrine is the primary drug administered during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to reverse cardiac arrest. Epinephrine increases arterial blood pressure and coronary perfusion during CPR via alpha-1-adrenoceptor agonist effects.

​A few effects of epinephrine include increased heart rate, myocardial contractility, and renin release via β1 receptors. β2 receptor activation produces bronchodilation, which can be useful as an adjunct treatment for asthma exacerbations, as well as vasodilation, tocolysis, and increased aqueous humor production.

Register for one of our ALS or ACLS courses or our ECG and Pharmacology course at Help-A-Heart CPR, LLC to learn more about the use of epinephrine and its impact on the human body. Save a life and make a difference!

Have you taken a CPR class but aren’t sure if it’s still active? With so many required certifications often finding a lost CPR card or seeing if the CPR card expired can be troublesome. That’s why an easy and effective way to look up your CPR certification can be paramount. We will provide a few helpful tips regardless of whether you are certified through American Heart Association, American Red Cross, Health Safety Institute, or another provider. We’ll also review what to do if you lose your CPR card, avoiding expired credentials, and and a seamless renewal with Help-A-Heart CPR. 

It is important to validate your CPR certification to ensure you are compliant and prepared. For many professions including healthcare, education, and business leaders, a current and active certification is often critical. Preparation and validation beforehand can help avoid any anxiety and stress due to last minute scheduling while also eliminating the lapse of any required credentialing for both individuals and employers. 

There are two ways to check your CPR certification status: checking your certification paperwork and using an online Find My CPR Certificate tool.

If you have the paperwork from your initial training course, you can check your certification card. The card will have a printed date or month that you can use to check your status. Remember, certification is valid for 2 years from the training, so if you know when you went to the CPR course, you can calculate your certification duration.

If you don’t have your training paperwork and aren’t sure when your class was, there’s also the option to check online. You can find a CPR card lookup by searching “find my CPR certification” or “check my CPR certification.”

• Identify your certifying provider—AHA, Red Cross, HSI, or other.
  
• Go to their lookup page—see the next section for direct links.
  
• Enter required information—name, email, certificate ID, or training date.
  
• Review your record—completion date, course details, and expiration status.
  
• Download or print your certificate, often available as PDFs or wallet cards.
  
• Save a backup, ideally in a dedicated “CPR Certifications” folder or mobile app.

1. American Heart Association: Visit https://ecards.heart.org/student/myecards , select “Student,” and claim your eCard using your name, email, or code. Initial access also includes setting up a security question, completing a brief survey, then saving the PDF. Employers can also verify the certification cards by using the “Employer” tab or QR code. 

2. Health Safety Institute : Use the link below to look up an HSI certification. Just enter your first and last name, as well as the validation code on your card. Note that HSI can only validate certification cards earned after January 1st, 2022. If no record appears, contact your training center for help. 
https://hsi.com/solutions/cpr-aed-first-aid-training/quality-assurance/student-card-validation 
​
3. American Red Cross: Go to Find My Certificate, searchable by your email, name/class date, or certificate ID. Digital certs stay in the system up to three years post-training, and include unique IDs/QR codes for verification. You can download, print, or order wallet cards (for a fee), just confirm the certification isn’t expired first.

​1. Mark your calendar with upcoming certification card expiration dates.
2. Save your certification card electronically.
3. Check your certification status on a periodic basis.
4. Schedule a renewal course.
5. Use a CPR training organization that will provide email and text reminders.

The American Heart Association (AHA) updates to the 2025 Guidelines for CPR and First Aid bring a few essential changes. An understanding of these changes allow you to keep your certifications current while also learning the most effective, up-to-date techniques.
At Help-A-Heart CPR, LLC our mission is to empower you with the knowledge and resources to act confidently in emergency situations. Listed below are a few of the changes in the 2025 AHA & ECC Guidelines as compared with 2020.

As a healthcare provider or laymen rescuer, you are directly involved in the chain of survival. A knowledge of these various updates provide you with the following:

• The latest science-backed guidance
• Higher-quality CPR performance techniques
• Clearer protocols for special cases and pediatrics
  
• A framework for training and teamwork that saves lives

Here at Help-A-Heart CPR we can help you stay on top of any current science and guidelines in CPR and First Aid. Take a moment and register for a class with us today and empower yourself with a knowledge of lifesaving skills.

If you find the right beat-can that help optimize lifesaving skills?
When performing CPR, it’s important to perform chest compressions at the right rate. Using one of your favorite songs to time compressions and beats per minute (BPM) can help optimize your lifesaving skills while enhancing effective CPR.
To help you find the right tempo, we’ve created a playlist with four songs you can use to perform effective CPR. Like many others, people often use the song “Stayin’ Alive” as the unofficial barometer for effective CPR chest compression rate and temp. However, while it's a great choice, there are plenty of other songs you can use. Check out the four songs below and and read further to learn more about the importance of tempo in maintaining effective chest compressions.

Beats per minute (BPM) refers to the tempo of a song or piece of music. It measures how fast or slow the music is and is typically expressed in a numerical form. In relationship to CPR, BPM means the number of pulses given within one minute. For example, a song with a BPM of 120 would be considered relatively fast, while a song with a BPM of 60 would be considered relatively slow. For CPR, this number refers to the speed at which chest compressions are administered. Further, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends administering CPR chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 BPM. 

The CPR instructor will often encourage students to pick a song to ensure proper compression rate and tempo. That song can then be used as a reference when administering CPR. It should be within the recommended beats per minute for CPR to help you find and maintain the right speed during chest compressions. Thinking of the song will help you stay calm in a stressful situation, and help you be the difference between life and death!

 Conveniently, there are many songs also fall into the BPM range of 100 to 120 and many of them have been popular enough over the years to come. That means you’re more likely to be able to remember them at a moment’s notice during high-stakes situations where someone needs help; all you need to do is call 911, get into position, and then give firm compressions to beat.
​
1. ABBA: “Dancing Queen” BPM-101. Listen here.
2. Adele: "Rolling in the Deep" BPM-105. Listen here.
3. Britney Spears: "Stronger". BPM-108. Listen here.
4. Chappell Roan: "Pink Pony Club" BPM-107. Listen here.

So, it's possible that your favorite song just might in fact help you save a life.
Register for a CPR training class with Help-A-Heart CPR today! Our training classes are empowering and informative while allowing you to learn lifesaving skills.

Do you have an upcoming American Heart Association (AHA) BLS certification course? Are you looking for a few study tips to prepare? Here are 4 strategies to help you be better equipped for the BLS certification course.

The Basic Life Support (BLS) certification offered by the American Heart Association (AHA), provides healthcare providers and even the laymen rescuer with skills needed to respond to life-threatening emergencies. The BLS certification training covers CPR for adults, children, and infants as well as  choking and proper AED usage for individuals of all ages.

Would you prefer to take a 100% in person class or a blended learning class which includes both an online component as well as an in-person skills testing session.

If reviewing the materials before your class, remember to take notes and write down any questions you have. Then, bring a list of those questions to class which will allow you to clarify various topics with the instructor.

Like any new subject matter, it's important to familiarize yourself with important BLS words and phrases prior to your class. These various terms include the following:
1. Compression rate
2. Ventilation
3. Chest recoil
4. Defibrillation
5. Compression depth
6. CPR cycles
7. Multiple rescuer
8. Single rescuer
9. AED
All of these terms are vital to an in-depth understanding and practical application of BLS skills.

In order to gain the most information from your BLS certification class it is important to ​participate during class activities and discussions. In addition, by practicing skills repeatedly during your BLS certification class will also provide an additional reinforcement your learning while increasing your understanding and competence of lifesaving skills.

Are you ready to take your BLS skills to the next level? Help-A-Heart CPR is committed to providing an environment that is engaging and supportive and designed to help all students achieve their certification. Do you have any questions? You can reach us through our online form or call 210-380-5344. 

Being a successful BLS Instructor can mean the difference between training that people remember as opposed to skills that start to diminish over time. Proper training in a BLS class ensures individual are equipped with the skills and knowledge to respond to any emergency situation. It is this response that essentially mean the difference between life and death. The role of the BLS Instructor is to also provide an engaging and interactive learning environment for all class participants.

At Help-A-Heart CPR we offer monthly American Heart Association BLS Instructor courses. For additional information on course pre-requisites please review our American Heart Association Instructor Training page which provides important information relative to course costs and materials included in the course.

In any Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS/ALS) training course, you’ll learn a variety of emergency cardiac response techniques including:

• Cardiac arrest response
• Airway management
• EKG Interpretation
• ACLS pharmacology
• Resuscitation Team Dynamics

In order to be successful in your upcoming ACLS course you’ll need to review the mentioned topics in order to increase your knowledge an understanding. To help you navigate a successful pathway toward the completion of your ACLS training, we’ve collected a list of 3 ACLS course important topics.

You’ll also want to remember the potential causes behind your patient’s arrhythmias, sometimes referred to as the “Hs and Ts”.
1. The “Hs” include: Hypovolemia, Hypoxia, Hydrogen ion excess, Hyperkalemia, Hypokalemia, and Hypothermia.
2. The “Ts” include: Toxins, Tamponade, Tension pneumothorax, and Thrombosis.

​An understanding of the ACLS algorithms and EKGs is paramount for optimizing your success in your ACLS course. Memorizing these algorithms will help you know the proper steps to care for a patient experiencing a cardiac emergency.
Examples include Bradycardia Algorithm, Tachycardia Algorithm, Acute Coronary Syndrome Algorithm, Adult Cardiac Arrest Algorithm, and the Post-Cardiac Arrest Care Algorithm.

A knowledge of medications and dosages associated with ACLS algorithms is also important. Understanding which drugs are considered “primary ACLS drugs” will provide you with the skills yo offer emergency critical care to your patient. Please remember that as AHA guidelines change, it's also important to review the most recent list of ACLS medications to see if any medications have been added or removed. In addition, in preparation for your ACLS course, you'll need to be able to recall a few different medications such as atropine, adenosine, epinephrine, and lidocaine.

Need to get ACLS certified or renew your certification? Take our ACLS course here at Help-A-Heart CPR. Our program follows American Heart Association guidelines for a comprehensive, high-quality education. Plus, our team of experienced professionals makes learning fun and engaging. Register for a class today!

Is it time for you to renew your BLS certification? Follow these three easy steps to ensure a seamless and easy renewal process.

1. Find the renewal course that works best for you.
Find the renewal course that works best with your schedule. The American Heart Association BLS blended recertification courses requires online coursework and final exam online, followed by a brief in-person skills testing session. This format may offer more flexibility with less stress for busy healthcare professionals. 
​2. Complete the online coursework.
An AHA BLS renewal online course consists of instructional modules on the following topics:
A. Automated external defibrillator (AED) use
B. CPR for adults, children and infants
C. Care for choking victims 
D. 2-rescuer CPR techniques 
E. Cardiopulmonary emergencies and special situations
The online modules can be completed at the time and location you choose, allowing you to finish your training on your own schedule.
3. Schedule your in-person skills testing.
Once you have completed the online coursework and passed the online final examination, you may schedule a brief skills check with one of our exceptional American Heart Association BLS Instructors here at Help-A-Heart CPR, LLC. Your instructor is also available to answer questions and clarify information. 

Preparation is the key to ensure the successful completion of the AHA BLS Online Course. In addition, take a few moments before your course begins to review basic BLS information. A quick review will make it easier to understand and retain the information during your coursework. In addition, make a list of questions to ask your instructor during the skills testing session.
​Don’t put off BLS renewal any longer. Sign up for one of our classes today and keep your certification and BLS Provider skills up to date.