Don’t leave it too late, invest in safety with a defibrillator

Published on in SMART WELLBEING
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Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) strikes people of all ages, including children as we have all sadly seen in the media of late. For less than £1000  you can give your school, its children, staff and visitors the best chance of surviving a cardiac arrest with rapid access to a lifesaving defibrillator (known as an Automated External Defibrillator or AED)

  • No AED = 5% chance of survival
  • Using an AED within first 5 minutes = 75% chance of survival

The death of anyone, regardless of age, leaves a void in the lives of his or her survivors. However, the death of a child seemingly in the prime of life is very difficult to accept. The impact on family, school, friends, and perhaps the entire community is not easily overcome. All adults, especially those who are parents, place the highest value on protecting the lives of children. It is estimated that in the UK, 12 young people a week die due to SCA. (Cardiac Risk in the Young figures)

Unfortunately, a host of undetected cardiac problems exist within any sizeable school population and some school activities (especially sports) may exacerbate these difficulties.

  • As many as 1 in 500 children may suffer from cardiac myopathies in which the heart muscle is unusually thick. This often undetected condition can lead to SCA and can be precipitated by exercise.
  • Commotio Cordis is a condition in which the heart suddenly stops beating effectively following a relatively low velocity impact with a blunt object to the chest. The impact can be in the form of a rugby ball, football, hockey ball, knee or shoulder. In the USA it has been documented as being the second most common cause of SCA in school age athletes.

Remember, the only effective form of treatment for SCA is rapid (within 4-6 minutes) defibrillation using an AED as part of the  chain of survival. So learn CPR, have an AED available, familiarise everyone with it and its location, and know you are doing everything you can to stop the tragic and all too often unnecessary loss of life due to sudden cardiac arrest.

 

Tags: First Aid Health Health and Safety Training