Heart Attack, Heart Failure, Cardiac Arrest!
What do this words have in common? They describe a medical emergency in which the heart stops pumping blood through the body.
The CDC considers Heart Failure as the number one risk of death in America; at over 600,000 deaths a year (a fourth of all deaths in America are attributed to heart failure). And heart decease impacts Americans of all race, gender and personal persuasion equally. It’s an equal opportunity killer!
We think it’s important to understand that heart failure does not have to kill. It can be addressed. Victims can continue their life “IF” immediate action is taken.
The heart is the ONLY organ that pushes blood throughout the body – most importantly into the brain. When the heart stops, blood stops going to the brain; and research by the American Heart Association confirms that for each minute there is no oxygenated blood flowing to the brain, there is a 7-10% probability of brain damage. (Doing the math; that means 15 minutes with no blood flow equals 100% probability that the brain is dead.)
Earlier “immediate action” was mentioned in allowing a heart attack victim to continue their life. That immediate action is the external compression of the chest to manually make the heart pump blood. The act of externally compressing the chest gets blood to flow; and it gets blood into the brain.
Modern medicine can almost make miracles happen, organs can be replaced, artificial limbs allow for mobility; but we do not have a fix for a dead brain! When the heart stops working, time is critical in keeping the brain alive so doctors can work their magic on the rest of the body. Chest comPressions, Repeated can keep that blood flowing and give that victim a chance for a future.
Sign up for a Hands-Only CPR or CPR Awareness class. We are hosting classes at Saddle River Range on April 15th. Call today and reserve your attendance, post it in your calendar and learn to save a life.
Stay Alert, Stay Safe; and Learn CPR,
