HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.)
-When someone goes into car
diac arrest, it becomes a desper
ate race against the clock to save
his or her life. Every second
counts.
Tragically, each day several
hundred cardiac arrest victims
die before they reach the hospi
tal. In fact, the national survival
rate for sudden cardiac arrest is
less than 5 percent.
February is American Heart
Month, and the American Heart
Association is urging all Pennsyl
vanians to help improve the car
diac arrest survival rate by tak
ing quick action when faced with
a cardiac emergency:
1. Know the warning signs of
a heart attack and symptoms of
cardiac arrest in order to recog
nize a medical emergency when
it occurs. The warning signs of a
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heart attack are: uncomfortable
pressure, fullness, squeezing, or
pain in the center of the chest
lasting more than a few min
utes; pain spreading to the
shoulders, neck or arms; chest
discomfort with lightheaded
ness, fainting, sweating, nausea,
or shortness of breath. A heart
attack can lead to sudden car
diac arrest. Symptoms of cardiac
arrest are different: the person
collapses and loses conscious
ness, he or she stops normal
breathing, and loses pulse and
blood pressure.
2. Upon recognizing any heart
attack or cardiac arrest symp
toms, call 9-1-1 immediately to
access the emergency medical
system. Too many people go
Heart Association Urges Quick Action To
Save Victims Of Cardiac Arrest
through denial and, as a result,
wait too long before seeking
medical attention.
3. Give cardiopulmonary re
suscitation (CPR) to victims of
sudden cardiac arrest because it
can help keep someone alive
until emergency help arrives.
CPR is important because it
maintains vital blood flow to the
heart and brain which helps sus
tain the victim until defibrilla
tion (electric shock to the heart)
can be administered.
“Since 70 to 80 percent of all
cardiac arrest emergencies occur
in the home, knowing CPR may
help you save the life of a loved
one,” said Dwight David, M.D.,
president of the Pennsylvania
Delaware affiliate. “By taking
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these crucial steps, Pennsyl
vanians can give cardiac arrest
victims a second chance at life.”
This American Heart Month
initiative is part of the associa
tion’s Operation Heartbeat pro
gram, designed to strengthen
the cardiac arrest chain of sur
vival nationwide. Working with
hospitals, members of the emer
gency medical services (EMS)
community, first responders and
others, the association hopes to
improve the cardiac arrest sur
vival rate in communities across
the country.
“Approximately 700 cardiac
arrest victims die every year m
the United States,” said Davis.
“Through this American Heart
Month initiative and our Oper
ation Heartbeat program, we’re
hoping to make more Pennsyl
vanians aware of the problem of
cardiac arrest, and show them
how to help strengthen the car
diac arrest chain of survival m
their communities.”
More than 95 percent of
Americans who suffer sudden
cardiac arrest die before reach
ing the hospital, which equates
to almost 250,000 deaths annu
ally. The American Heart Assoc
iation estimates that at least
50,000 lives could be saved each
year if the sudden cardiac arrest
national survival rate could be
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increased from the current 5
percent to 20 percent or higher.
According to Davis, heart
attack is one of the primary
causes of cardiac arrest. Other
causes can be electrocution,
drowning, respiratory arrest,
choking or trauma. When a per
son goes into cardiac arrest, the
heart’s electrical impulses be
come chaotic. This irregular
heart rhythm, called ventncular
fibrillation, causes the heart to
stop suddenly.
“Automated external detibrn
lators, or AEDs, are electronic
devices that deliver an electric
shock to the heart to restore its
natural rhythm,” said Davis.
“Early defibrillation is a critical
link in the cardiac arrest chain
of survival, and the only treat
ment to correct ventricular fib
rillation.
To learn more about what to
do in the event of a cardiac
emergency or how to prevent a
heart attack, call your local
American Heart Association
office or visit our website
www.americanheart.org
Information about CPR courses
offered by the American Heart
Association is available by call
ing (877) AHA-4CPR or by visit
ing the website www.cpr-ecc.
americanheart.org.
lie y^A
V
id, Pa
Call 800-448-4622
an agent near you