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Every year in the United States somewhere in excess of a quarter of a million Sudden Cardiac Arrests (SCA) occur – and the majority of them happen outside of the hospital.
With SCA, the heart suddenly stops beating, and the overall survival rate is a dismal 8%.
This can come as the result of a heart attack, a heart rhythm irregularity, electrocution, drowning, trauma, or a number of other causes.
As an EMT and later as a paramedic, I saw them on a daily basis. Some shifts I might deal with 4 or 5.
Most of the time, even with a good response time, we were fighting a losing battle since most SCA victims had been `down’ – often non-breathing or pulse less – for several minutes before anyone called an ambulance.
Usually we’d arrive to find the family milling around worriedly, doing nothing (or worse putting a pillow under the victims head to `make them more comfortable’ – but in reality compromising their airway).
The window for resuscitation is short – as brain damage can begin after only 4 minutes without oxygenation of the blood.
Every once in awhile, though . . . we’d roll up on the scene to find someone doing CPR. And those patients were far more likely to survive.
I’ve told the story before – but in the mid-1970s I was a CPR instructor, and I gave dozens of high school CPR demonstrations over the years to hundreds of students.
One day my partner and I roll up on a scene to find a 16 year-old-boy doing effective CPR on his grandfather. We took over, and the old guy survived.
Turned out, the grandson had taken my CPR class.
October 1st marks the start of National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month which the Heart Rhythm Society first launched in 2009.
The CDC’s MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) has an announcement this week on the start of SCA awareness month.
Announcement: National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month --- October 2010
Weekly
October 1, 2010 / 59(38);1243October is National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month, dedicated to educating patients and the public about what sudden cardiac arrest is and how to respond to a cardiac arrest.
Sudden cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly stops beating, resulting in no blood flow to the brain and other vital organs. Approximately 300,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur each year in the United States, with a median reported survival-to-hospital-discharge rate of 8% (1).
Rapidly implementing the "chain of survival" model (2) can help increase the chances of survival from sudden cardiac arrest. The steps in the chain include activation of emergency medical services by calling 9-1-1, starting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), using an automated external defibrillator (AED), and acquiring appropriate care. This year marks the 50th anniversary of CPR; updated CPR guidelines will be released later this year by the American Heart Association (AHA).
Far more information is available on the Heart Rhythm Society’s press announcement, including resources for clinicians and the general public.
Every two minutes, someone in this country dies from SCA. While not all of those deaths can be averted by rapid actions by bystanders, a significant number of them can.
So take the time this month to learn what to do to help someone – perhaps a friend or loved one – if they suffer a sudden cardiac arrest.
An investment of a little time and energy today could prove lifesaving for someone you care about tomorrow.
