475,000 People die of Cardiac Arrest a year in the U.S

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Here is a breakdown as of March 19th, 2020 of where these numbers have accumulated from: 

The word “congenital” means existing at birth. The terms “congenital heart defect” and “congenital heart disease” are often used to mean the same thing, but “defect” is more accurate.

This kind of heart ailment is a defect or abnormality, not a disease. A congenital heart defect (CHD) results when the heart, or blood vessels near the heart, don’t develop normally before birth.

Your healthcare team can be a vital source of information. You can also turn to the following resources to learn about the different types of congenital heart defects, testing that can aid in diagnosis and treatment options:

• Healthy Heart Function 
• Common Types of Heart Defects
  • Aortic Valve Stenosis (AVS)
  • Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)
  • Coarctation of the Aorta (CoA)
  • Complete Atrioventricular Canal defect (CAVC)
  • d-Transposition of the Great Arteries
  • Ebstein’s Anomaly
  • Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
  • I-Transposition of the Great Arteries
  • Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)
  • Pulmonary Atresia
  • Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
  • Single Ventricle Defects
  • Tetralogy of Fallot
  • Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection (TAPVC)
  • Tricuspid Atresia
  • Truncus Arteriosus
  • Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)

More people are stepping in to help give CPR when someone’s heart stops, and first responders are intervening at higher levels – but survival rates are higher for men who have cardiac arrests than for women, a recent study suggests.

Based on data for 8,100 people in 16 North Carolina counties from 2010 to 2014, researchers measured the impact of a state initiative to improve care for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients. The Duke University-led study was inspired by the Institute of Medicine’s 2015 call for action for better care of patients whose hearts stop outside of a hospital.

Despite “tremendous improvement” in CPR and first responder defibrillation, “we did not see improvement in survival for women, which is disappointing,” said Dr. Carolina Malta Hansen, a researcher at Duke Clinical Research Institute.

“This improvement only seems to be substantial for a small group of patients – usually younger and male patients – who have a cardiac arrest in a public place,” said Hansen, who led the study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association(link opens in new window).

Different than a heart attack, cardiac arrest is an often-fatal event caused by the sudden loss of heart function in someone who may or may not be diagnosed with heart disease. More than 350,000 cardiac arrests happen outside of U.S. hospitals each year, with about 90 percent of those people dying.

CPR – or cardiopulmonary resuscitation – can double or triple a person’s chance of survival. In 2014, about 45 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims survived when bystander CPR was given.

But only about 46 percent of those who suffered cardiac arrests outside of a hospital in 2017 received bystander CPR.

Hansen said a number of factors might explain why women had worse outcomes. Compared to male victims of cardiac arrests, women are more likely to have cardiomyopathy, or disease of the heart muscle, and non-shockable rhythms that can’t be treated with defibrillation. Women who suffer cardiac arrests also tend to be older than men and live at home alone, with less chance of CPR being performed.

“Those are all characteristics that we know are associated with poorer survival,” she said.

“This study has complex findings that, in many ways, raises more questions than it answers,” said Dr. Benjamin Abella, director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Resuscitation Science and a professor of emergency medicine. “But the most important message is that CPR works: The more people who deliver CPR, the more survivors you have who can leave the hospital and return to their families. That's the good news.”

Abella, who was not involved in the study, said the results underscore the need for more research on ways to improve bystander CPR and increase the use of automated external defibrillators in public places. He said some bystanders might be hindered by the idea of removing clothing or touching the breasts of a woman to perform CPR or use an AED.

“We need to have a better understanding of peoples’ psychology when they’re faced with emergency situations, so we can address it through education or training,” he said. “We need to go deeper and understand the barriers: Is it fear of being sued? Is there some other emotional barrier?”

Training might be improved by using female manikins with breasts, or by using virtual reality simulations, Abella said. “The advantage of virtual reality is you can make it very lifelike and get a truer sense of somebody’s response.”

Hansen said there’s still a great need to strengthen “all the links in the chain of survival,” including training 911 dispatchers, emergency workers, the public and hospital staff.

“But the most important thing for the general public to know is that bystander intervention is paramount,” she said. “You shouldn’t be afraid of doing something wrong, because anything is better than nothing: Stepping in and starting CPR and applying an AED before EMS arrives is the foundation for survival.”

CPR increases the possibility of surviving sudden cardiac arrest. But it's not just trained professionals who can jump in to perform CPR. There are simple, lifesaving steps any bystander can take.

“We think it should be a basic life skill,” such as knowing to call 911 when there’s a fire, said Dr. Clifton Callaway, a professor and executive vice chair of emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh.

He gives this simple guidance: If someone is unconscious and does not appear to be breathing properly, it’s time to start CPR chest compressions.

Cardiac arrest is when the heart stops beating. Some 350,000 cases occur each year outside of a hospital, and the survival rate is less than 12 percent. CPR can double or triple the chances of survival.

Seventy-percent of cardiac arrests happen in homes, but for those that happen in a workplace, a recent American Heart Association survey found that most U.S. employees are not prepared for a cardiac emergency.

For years, performing CPR meant checking the airway and doing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in addition to chest compressions. Experts now advise chest compressions alone can keep the heart pumping and maintain blood flow for a few minutes until emergency workers arrive.

Hands-only CPR is part of an effort to get more people to take action. The steps are: Call 911 and immediately begin chest compressions when someone is unconscious and having difficulty breathing. If you need guidance, an emergency operator can explain what to do. Using a cell phone, it may be possible to perform CPR and speak with the 911 dispatcher at the same time.

Compression-only CPR is best suited for adults and teens. You should press hard and fast in the center of the chest, down at least 2 inches with the full weight of your body.

“In general, people don’t push hard enough because they’re afraid,” Callaway said. But “you’re pumping blood. You’re replacing the heart beat.”

The optimum rate of compression is 100 to 120 beats per minute. It may come naturally, but if you need help gauging it, thinking of a song may help.

“Stayin’ Alive,” by the Bee Gees is the right tempo. “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper or “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” by the Clash also are in the 100 to 120 beats-per-minute range.

Learning conventional CPR is more involved. It includes compressions and mouth-to-mouth breaths. and is taught in person at training centers or online.

In fact, it’s more appropriate for children than hands-only CPR because they often suffer breathing difficulties connected to drowning or choking. That’s why those who spend time around children, such as teachers or coaches or people who have children, are urged to learn it, Callaway said.

There are three main reasons someone may be hesitant to perform CPR, said Callaway, a volunteer on the AHA's Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee:

1. Not recognizing CPR is needed. If a person is unconscious and breathing abnormally, even if it’s a suspected drug overdose, begin CPR.
2. You’re not trained and you worry you might hurt the person. But it’s better to help than do nothing. Don’t be afraid to apply pressure.
3. For family members, assisting in an emergency is stressful. Some people report they “freaked out,” Callaway said. But a 911 dispatcher can help refocus and get you going.

With AEDs, or automated external defibrillators, increasingly common in public places, one may be available during a cardiac arrest. So, because chest compressions should begin right away, it’s best to have two responders – one to do chest compressions and the other to set up and use the AED.

Technology is contributing in other ways, too.

In some cities, volunteers who know CPR, such as doctors or off-duty medics or police officers, are signing up to be paged via a mobile app if someone is suffering cardiac arrest nearby.

But anyone can – and should – perform CPR, Callaway said. "Doing something is the right thing to do. It can only help.”

Heart disease is the leading cause of the death in the United States. It is also a major cause of disability. There are many things that can raise your risk for heart disease. They are called risk factors. Some of them you cannot control, but there are many that you can control. Learning about them can lower your risk of heart disease.

What are the heart disease risk factors that I cannot change?

• Age. Men age 45 and older and women age 55 and older have a greater risk.
• Gender. Some risk factors may affect heart disease risk differently in women than in men. For example, estrogen provides women some protection against heart disease, but diabetes raises the risk of heart disease more in women than in men.
• Race or ethnicity. Certain groups have higher risks than others. African Americans are more likely than whites to have heart disease, while Hispanic Americans are less likely to have it. Some Asian groups, such as East Asians, have lower rates, but South Asians have higher rates.
• Family history. You have a greater risk if you have a close family member who had heart disease at an early age.

What can I do to lower my risk of heart disease?

Fortunately, there are many things you can do to reduce your chances of getting heart disease:

• Control your blood pressure. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease. It is important to get your blood pressure checked regularly - at least once a year for most adults, and more often if you have high blood pressure. Take steps, including lifestyle changes, to prevent or control high blood pressure.
• Keep your cholesterol and triglyceride levels under control. High levels of cholesterol can clog your arteries and raise your risk of coronary artery disease and heart attack. Lifestyle changes and medicines (if needed) can lower your cholesterol. Triglycerides are another type of fat in the blood. High levels of triglycerides may also raise the risk of coronary artery disease, especially in women.
• Stay at a healthy weight. Being overweight or having obesity can increase your risk for heart disease. This is mostly because they are linked to other heart disease risk factors, including high blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Controlling your weight can lower these risks.
• Eat a healthy diet. Try to limit saturated fats, foods high in sodium, and added sugars. Eat plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. The DASH diet is an example of an eating plan that can help you to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, two things that can lower your risk of heart disease.
• Get regular exercise. Exercise has many benefits, including strengthening your heart and improving your circulation. It can also help you maintain a healthy weight and lower cholesterol and blood pressure. All of these can lower your risk of heart disease.
• Limit alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure. It also adds extra calories, which may cause weight gain. Both of those raise your risk of heart disease. Men should have no more than two alcoholic drinks per day, and women should not have more than one.
• Don't smoke. Cigarette smoking raises your blood pressure and puts you at higher risk for heart attack and stroke. If you do not smoke, do not start. If you do smoke, quitting will lower your risk for heart disease. You can talk with your health care provider for help in finding the best way for you to quit.
• Manage stress. Stress is linked to heart disease in many ways. It can raise your blood pressure. Extreme stress can be a "trigger" for a heart attack. Also, some common ways of coping with stress, such as overeating, heavy drinking, and smoking, are bad for your heart. Some ways to help manage your stress include exercise, listening to music, focusing on something calm or peaceful, and meditating.
• Manage diabetes. Having diabetes doubles your risk of diabetic heart disease. That is because over time, high blood sugar from diabetes can damage your blood vessels and the nerves that control your heart and blood vessels. 
• Make sure that you get enough sleep. If you don't get enough sleep, you raise your risk of high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. Those three things can raise your risk for heart disease. Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Make sure that you have good sleep habits. If you have frequent sleep problems, contact your health care provider. One problem, sleep apnea, causes people to briefly stop breathing many times during sleep. 

Reference: medlineplus.gov

Ventricular fibrillation is often confused with atrial fibrillation. Although both are irregular heart rhythms, but they affect different parts of the heart. Ventricular fibrillation is a serious cardiac disturbance that causes abnormal heart rhythms. It can be life-threatening. AFib on the other hand indicates a serious heart condition, but is typically a symptom of a chronic problem, and not a life-threatening feature in itself.

Ventricular fibrillation is the leading cause of most cardiac arrests. A cardiac arrest victim would require immediate treatment for survival with the most appropriate treatment being proper application of the life-saving CPR procedures. The techniques comprise chest compressions and rescue breaths. Make sure to sign up in a certified training center for acquiring training such as the AHA certified. Both theoretical and practical training are imparted to the students. Become eligible for an AHA CPR provider card at the end of the training classes after successfully passing a skills test and written exam.

How do we Treat VFib patients:

Emergency treatments for VFib include CPR and use of a defibrillator.

CPR- CPR stands for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation that aims to restore the blood flow through the body. Earlier, CPR involved cycles of 30 chest compressions and then breathes But, as per the 2008 guidelines issued by the American Heart Association, breathing into a person’s mouth may be unnecessary. Only delivering two compressions  While performing the compressions, allow the chest to rise in between. The responder should continue with the procedure until the arrival of emergency medical services or arrival of someone with a portable defibrillator.

Early CPR and the defibrillation process increase an individual’s survival chances.

Defibrillation Process- This process is performed using a defibrillator which sends electric shocks across the patient's chest. The device can be used together with CPR. The shocks aid in normalizing the heart rhythm thus restoring normal function.

The defibrillator device is very easy-to-use. Even a layperson can easily use it just by following the voice instructions. This device is present in most public places these days such as airports, major train and bus stations, shopping malls, community centers, places where elderly people gather, and they are programmed to detect ventricular fibrillation and emit a shock at the right moment.

VFib Symptoms:

Sudden collapse or fainting is the most common sign. Some people might experience dizziness, nausea, chest pain, tachycardia, or accelerated heartbeat, and palpitations just an hour before VFib.

VFib and AFib- When it comes to both these irregular rhythms, VFib is more serious than AFib which frequently results in loss of consciousness and death as they tend to interrupt the pumping of heart. VFib can cause sudden cardiac death which accounts for about 300,000 deaths annually in the United States.

Risk Factors:

1.      Previous heart attack experience

2.      Previous VFib

3.      Cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle, or myocardium

4.      Congenital Heart Disease

5.      Electrocution or other injuries causing heart muscle damage

Link between VFib and Ventricular Tachycardia:

VFib usually begins with ventricular tachycardia which is an abnormally rapid heart rhythm that originates from a ventricle. It mainly occurs in people with some form of heart defect. Ventricular tachycardia can happen and then go away about 30 seconds later, without causing any symptoms. On the contrary, it can also continue for more than 30 seconds which eventually leads to VFib if left untreated.

PROMPT ATTENTION IS KEY TO SURVIVAL: START CPR

1) This is the most common rhythm that is seen first in cardiac arrest patients

2) Mycardial  cell quiver rather than deplorize 

3) Causes:  MI, drug toxicity or overdose, gypoxia, CAD

4( If ACLS trained, provide medication along with CPR for treatment)

Roughly 475,000 Americans suffer cardiac arrest.   Early CPR helps saves thousands of lives!   Around 45% of those would have survived of Cardiac Arrest had someone started early CPR

The goal of cardiopulmonary resuscitation is to save a life, but that doesn’t mean the work needs to be done by the time your role administering CPR is over. Sometimes, CPR is crucial in extending the patient’s life until the ambulance arrives, and that act alone, whether it takes seven minutes or half an hour, can be life-saving.

 Anyone has the power and the ability to save a life! With training this will make you confident.  You can be anywhere where such an emergency occurs and you could be they to their survival.  By doing chest compressions, you are at least manually trying to keep the blood flowing.

 So lets talk about what it is essential to know CPR: You could saved a loved one, you'll be confident when an emergency occurs, CPR prevents Brain Death,( Brain Death can occur after six minutes, if oxygen isn't supplied to the brain) It makes you smarter ( It teaches you about the human body, how blood circulation works and oxygen get through the body)

So at Stayin' Alive CPR, let us help you obtain the confidence to obtain this life saving goal!