All of our heart problem related posts in one place so that you can find them easily!
Defibrillators or AEDs are life saving devices that are now commonplace in our communities and workplaces. We use AED trainer devices on all of our courses and often get similar questions from our course participants. We’ve therefore put together this list of 20 of the most common questions to help explain and understand these life…
20 FAQs about defibrillators Read More »
Last Updated: Feb, 2025 How to Identify a Suspected Stroke – Act ‘FAST’ The signs and symptoms of a stroke vary from person to person but usually come on suddenly. As different parts of your brain control different parts of your body, your symptoms will depend on the part of your brain affected and the extent
How to Help Someone Having a Stroke Read More »
Updated October, 2023. In the video link below, we show you how to perform CPR and use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) on an adult casualty you suspect has suffered a cardiac arrest. If a casualty is unresponsive, AND is NOT breathing effectively, the statistical likelihood is that they have suffered a Cardiac Arrest, i.e.
How to Perform Adult CPR and Use a Defibrillator (AED) Read More »
Updated September, 2023. When we run our first aid training courses we are often asked whether funding is available for defibrillators. On every first aid course run by the Co-operative, we cover doing ‘CPR’ for cardiac arrest and how to use an AED or defibrillator. The reason for this is the crucial part a defibrillator
Is funding available for defibrillators? Read More »
Updated August, 2023. Angina is chest pain that occurs when the blood supply to the muscles of the heart is restricted. It usually happens because the arteries supplying the heart become hardened and/or narrowed. The pain is usually triggered by physical activity or stress and typically only lasts for a few minutes. This is often
Angina – signs, symptoms and treatment Read More »
Updated April 2023 An acronym is a word or name formed as an abbreviation, created from the initial letters of a phrase or a word. The first aid world uses many acronyms to help us remember different treatments. In this series we have explained the meanings of the most common first aid acronyms to help you avoid confusion! AED
First Aid Acronyms Explained – AED & PAD Read More »
GoodSAM is a free global smartphone app that alerts members of the public who know how to perform CPR and alerts them to someone nearby that is in cardiac arrest. You can then respond and help with CPR until the Emergency Services arrive. How good an idea is that?!! Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and using an
The GoodSAM App and your CPR response Read More »
Updated May 2025  A heart attack is a serious medical emergency in which the supply of blood to the heart is suddenly blocked, usually by a blood clot in one of the vessels supplying blood to the heart.  It often comes on suddenly and with no prior warning. When any muscle in the body is
Heart Attacks and other chest pains – what you should know. Read More »
In the UK, there are 30000+ cardiac arrests outside hospitals each year, yet only 1 in 10 survive. Their chances of survival are greatly increased by bystanders doing CPR and using an AED or defibrillator. Due to campaigning by the British Heart Foundation and others, defibrillators are now commonly located in workplaces, schools, transport hubs,
How do I find a defibrillator? How do I register our defibrillator? Read More »
Hannah says her first aid course ‘saved her life’ Hannah attended a first aid course run by Medi-K and First Aid training Co-operative on September 1st and a few weeks later the knowledge she gained from the training saved her own life. In mid-October Hannah, had a heart attack. This was totally unexpected as she
Hannah says her first aid course ‘saved her life’ Read More »