Annual Incidence of Death from Selected Causes
Knowing CPR and how to use an AED are key to saving someone who goes into cardiac arrest.
Pittsburgh, Penn. (PRWEB) May 16, 2013
Sudden cardiac arrest, an abrupt, unexpected pulseless condition, is a much bigger public health problem than most people realize. SCA, which differs from a heart attack, affects nearly 360,000 people each year in the U.S., including youth, and only 10% of victims survive. For most unsuspecting victims, dropping dead is the first indication of a heart problem.
To grasp the enormous scope of this life-threatening condition, consider the following:
- The annual incidence of death from cardiac arrest occurring outside hospitals is eight times higher than the death toll from breast cancer and 10 times higher than the death toll from gun shot wounds;
- The number of people who die each year from house fires is roughly equivalent to the number of people who die every 34 hours from sudden cardiac arrest.
The good news is that when cardiac arrest victims are treated quickly with CPR and automated external defibrillators (AEDs) before emergency medical services arrive at the scene, survival rates jump to nearly 40%. If the national average survival rate increased from 10% to 40%, more than 100,000 additional lives could be saved each year.
Award-winning TV news journalist and cardiac arrest survivor, Susan Koeppen, understands this firsthand. “Knowing CPR and how to use an AED are key to saving someone who goes into cardiac arrest. Doing something is better than doing nothing in an emergency situation,” said Koeppen, who serves as National Spokesperson for the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation.
The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation aims to elevate the national dialogue about sudden cardiac arrest through multiple initiatives including its participation in the Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community on May 18 in Pittsburgh. Highmark underwrites the cost of the walk for 68 health and human service organizations so that all monies raised go directly to the charity of choice.
“We invite people who have survived sudden cardiac arrest and their families, as well as those who have lost loved ones to SCA, to join or support our team,” said Mary Newman, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation president. “Together, we will help the public better understand the critical need for bystanders to call 911, give CPR, and use AEDs to save lives threatened by sudden cardiac arrest.”
CPR-AED demonstrations will be provided at the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation booth during the 5K walk. The individual or team raising the most funds for the Foundation will win an AED, to be awarded during National CPR-AED Awareness Week in the first week of June.
Interested parties may join the team or support the team here. Contributions may also be made here or by sending a check to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, 7500 Brooktree Road, Suite 207, Wexford, PA 15090.
For further information, visit the Foundation website here or contact info(at)sca-aware(dot)org.
About the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation
The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is a national community benefit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to raising awareness about sudden cardiac arrest and saving lives. Programs include educational campaigns for secondary schools and colleges and the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Network, an online community that provides peer support and opportunities for survivors and family members to participate in awareness, advocacy, and research initiatives. For information, contact info(at)sca-aware(dot)org.
