GENEVA, Ohio, May 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A youth collapses at
school...during a game...at camp. You hear small gasping, gurgly noises.
Snorting, gurgling, moaning or labored breathing noises are often
misinterpreted. Sometimes it looks like a seizure - but it's not. It's Sudden
Cardiac Arrest (SCA). Don't lose precious time. What do you do now? Call for
help, call 9-1-1, start doing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) doing chest
compressions to the beat of the Bee Gees' song "Staying Alive" and send
someone to get the automated external defibrillator (AED) immediately. Does
everyone know where the AED is? Can anyone get it at a moment's notice? You
have 3-5 minutes to defibrillate that youth's heart before brain damage
occurs; chance for survival decreases by 10% with every passing minute.
June 1-7 is National CPR and AED Awareness Week. Parent Heart Watch urges
everyone to learn CPR and AED use and become better informed about the
importance of having publicly accessible AEDs in schools, at sporting events
and practices, and having on-site people trained in CPR and AED use who can
promptly implement the vital links of the cardiac chain-of-survival: 1) Early
recognition of SCA; 2) Early access to 911; 3) Early CPR; 4) Early
defibrillation; and 5) Early advanced care. Survival rates from SCA can
increase dramatically when these vital links are followed.
An AED is a medical device designed to quickly analyze the heart's rhythm and
safely deliver an electric shock, if needed. An AED will not shock someone if
the heart rhythm is not life-threatening. Most AEDs guide the user through the
rescue process with simple audible and visual prompts.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest is the leading cause of death in the United States,
claiming the lives of over 350,000 people each year; and thousands are youth.
The incidence of SCA in youth is greatly underestimated as no national
reporting system exists to track these devastating events.
About Parent Heart Watch
Parent Heart Watch (PHW) is the national voice protecting youth from sudden
cardiac arrest and preventable sudden cardiac death. Parent Heart Watch leads
and empowers others by sharing information, educating and advocating for
change. The vision of PHW is to eliminate preventable disabilities and death
of youth caused by sudden cardiac arrest. For more information visit,
www.ParentHeartWatch.org.
SOURCE Parent Heart Watch
Laura Friend of Parent Heart Watch, +1-817-788-2960,
laura@parentheartwatch.org
