Heart attacks are, unfortunately, a common phenomenon. Every year, approximately 750,000 people in the United States alone will experience a heart attack, and for this will be fatal for 15% of these individuals.
When someone experiences sudden cardiac arrest, their chances of survival drop 10% for every minute they don’t receive defibrillation. However, their possibility of survival can double or triple when Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is performed within the first few minutes.
According to heart experts, 522 lives could be saved every year in the United States and Canada if Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) were placed in accessible public locations. Research shows that survival rates have more than doubled when AEDs have been used by witnesses when someone is having a heart attack or is experiencing an errant heart rhythm.
If someone experiences sudden cardiac arrest when they are outside of a hospital, their chances of survival are 1 in 5%. This underlines the importance of having strategically-placed AEDs in a variety of settings as well as for more individuals to have regular training to obtain their CPR license.
While many people outside the medical profession have undergone training and certification, it has been estimated that 70% of Americans have forgotten how to administer CPR or have not received any training.
A survey was conducted in 2005 that showed many individuals don’t know all the major symptoms associated with a heart attack. While 92% did know that chest pain can be a sign, just 27% were aware of the additional symptoms.
In order to ensure that more individuals are knowledgable of the major symptoms of a heart attack, and are able to respond accordingly, CPR classes are recommended. Once certified, recertification classes should be taken every 2 years.
Every year, the American Heart Association provides CPR training to 12 million people. This training is available for businesses, organizations, and private individuals so that they are able to provide assistance should someone experiences a heart attack outside of a medical setting. Since over 300,000 people of all ages die as a result of sudden cardiac arrest in the United States, it’s possible that many of these deaths could be prevented by having more individuals trained and certified to administer CPR.