According to the American Heart Association, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) administered immediately after sudden cardiac arrest can double—or even triple—a victim’s chances of survival. However, less than one-third of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims currently receive bystander CPR.
That’s why Emergency Physicians across the country are encouraging all Americans to get CPR training, saying this skill saves lives and is relatively easy to learn.
“When a person goes into cardiac arrest, the first few seconds and minutes are crucial to saving his or her life and to preventing irreversible damage,” according to Dr. David Seaberg, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians. “If more people had CPR training, many more lives could be saved.”
Sudden cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack, which occurs when a coronary artery becomes blocked. Cardiac arrest happens when a heart rhythm disturbance causes the victim’s heart to suddenly stop beating.
Dr. Howard Mell, an Ohio ACEP member, has set a goal of training 10,000 Lake County residents to perform CPR. “Some new CPR classes can take less than an hour,” Said Dr. Mell. “Family and friends are often on the front line and can make a significant difference preserving the life of a loved one.”
To find CPR courses available in your area, visit the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org/takeaclass.