FEATURE
PLANNING FOR SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST
BOC Healthcare’s Cheryl Toole explains why defibrillation alongside CPR should be considered an essential first aid skill.
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a condition in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. If this happens, blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs. SCA is not the same as a heart attack – during a heart attack, the heart usually doesn’t suddenly stop beating and a person can be conscious and aware. In contrast, during a SCA a person is unconscious and may stop breathing – SCA usually causes death if it’s not treated within minutes.
THE ROLE OF DEFIBRILLATION Most deaths caused as a result of SCA are potentially avoidable by using
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defibrillation. An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a portable device that checks the heart rhythm and sends an electric shock to the heart to restore a normal rhythm when it is interrupted or has stopped. In the event of SCA, every minute that defibrillation is delayed the chance of survival decreases by around 7 to 10%. Most deaths caused as a result of SCA are potentially avoidable by using defibrillation, but the success rate is high only if treatment can be given within four to five minutes of the event - easy access to on-site devices and prompt defibrillation has the potential to save lives.
CASE STUDY:
SCA IN THE YOUNG Sudden death from cardiovascular disease is also the principal cause of death in young athletes during exercise and represents 75% of all fatalities during sport. If your facility is one offering sport or activities, particularly to the young, the case for a defibrillator is even stronger.
Tara Bonnett, Duty Manager at Lea Manor Recreation Centre, part of the Active Luton Sport and Leisure Trust, has direct experience of the importance of having an AED on-site. 16-year old Rahul Patel was in a regular PE lesson
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