16/04/2014
Some facts about Cardiac Arrest and CPR.
- Cardiac arrest is not a condition limited to the elderly.
- Sudden cardiac arrest is most often caused by an abnormal heart rhythm called ventricular fibrillation (VF). Cardiac arrest can also occur after the onset of a heart attack or as a result of electrocution or near-drowning.
- When sudden cardiac arrest occurs, the victim collapses, becomes unresponsive to gentle shaking and stops normal breathing.
- About 75 to 80 percent of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home.
- Effective bystander CPR, provided immediately after cardiac arrest, can double a victim’s chance of survival.
- CPR helps maintain vital blood flow to the heart and brain and increases the amount of time that an electric shock from a defibrillator can be effective.
- For every minute CPR is not provided, a sudden cardiac arrest victim’s chances of survival fall 7 percent to 10 percent.
- Queensland Ambulances average response time to Emergencies in North Queensland is 8 - 12 minutes.
- Brain death starts to occur four to six minutes after someone experiences cardiac arrest if no CPR and defibrillation occurs during that time.
- Death from sudden cardiac arrest is not inevitable. The more people that know CPR, more lives can be saved.
CPR is a life skill, undertake training.