Wednesday, February 27, 2002

Be a hero take a heartsaver course

Each year about 220,000 people die suddenly due to cardiac arrest. With your help, those statistics can change for the better.

During February, which is American Heart Month, or at any other time of the year, you can help change these statistics and prepare yourself for cardiac emergencies by enrolling in an American Heartsaver AED course.

The Heartsaver AED course includes training in both CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and the use of an AED, an automated external defibrillator. The course can be completed in as little as three to four hours.

"For each minute that passes without defibrillation and CPR, the chance of survival for a cardiac arrest victim decreases by seven to 10 percent. In order to battle this disease, more Americans have to arm themselves with the knowledge that is crucial to saving lives," said David Faxon, M.D., president, American Heart Association.

To help increase the number of people who survive cardiac arrest, the American Heart Association is working to increase public awareness and a strong chain of survival for victims of sudden cardiac arrest.

The chain of survival is a sequence of actions that must be initiated in order to save lives during cardiac emergencies.

Its goal is to minimize the time from the onset of symptoms to treatment. The four links in the chain of survival are:

1. Early access means recognizing that a cardiovascular emergency exists and immediately phoning the Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

2. Early cardiopulmonary resuscitation helps to circulate blood and oxygen to vital organs and buys time until defibrillation can be given.

3. Early defibrillation, performed with a medical device called a defibrillator, delivers an electric shock to the heart that stops the abnormal heart rhythm and lets the normal rhythm resume.

4. Early advanced life support means having qualified paramedics and other healthcare providers to respond to cardiac arrest with up-to-date Advanced Life Support training.

To learn more about Heartsaver AED, call the American Heart Association toll-free at 1-877-AHA-4CPR or visit www.americanheart.org.