More than 45,000 Canadians suffer sudden cardiac arrests each year. Sudden cardiac arrest is just that – it’s sudden, unassuming and leaves patients unresponsive.
For every minute that passes without help, a person’s chance of surviving a cardiac arrest drops by about 10%. Quick bystander CPR, along with the use of a portable automated external defibrillator (AED), can more than double a person’s chance of survival.
So how can you help?
BC Emergency Health Services urges the public to know the signs of a sudden cardiac arrest, call 9-1-1, begin CPR and use an AED. CPR can be done by anyone who has had basic training or is being coached by someone who is trained, such as a BC Ambulance dispatcher.
If you are CPR-trained, there’s also an app you can download to your smartphone that alerts you if someone is experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest within 400 metres of your location in B.C. It’s called PulsePoint. Once you receive the alert and find the patient, you can perform hands-on CPR, and use an AED if one’s available, until paramedics arrive.
You can be at this person’s side and start CPR in those first critical minutes before paramedics arrive. Every minute is a life-saving minute. You have the power to help your neighbour.
