Heart attacks in combat for army officers

Heart Attacks in Combat for Army Officers

By Dr. Ghada Attia
Cardiovascular Specialist and Member of the Egyptian and European Cardiology Societies
Certified International Trainer

Heart attacks represent a major medical challenge for combat armies, due to combat conditions and extreme physical and psychological stress.

Dealing with Heart Attacks in Combat:

First Aid:

Securing the environment surrounding the injured soldier.
Place the soldier in a comfortable position (usually semi-sitting) to relieve pressure on the heart.
Administer oxygen if available.
Administer emergency medications such as nitroglycerin (if previously prescribed).
Initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if the heart stops.

Rapid Transport: The soldier must be transported to a field medical facility or hospital as quickly as possible.

Medical Intervention:

Using medications such as aspirin to reduce blood clotting.
Performing emergency cardiac catheterization if possible in the field.

Prevention:

Physical and Psychological Training: Physically Prepare Soldiers And psychologically, to withstand combat stress.
Periodic medical examinations: detecting risk factors such as high blood pressure or cholesterol, using ultrasounds and exercise testing, and treating them before deployment to the field.
Good nutrition: providing healthy food and clean water on a continuous basis.
Health education: training soldiers to recognize the signs of