The National Safety Council reminds Americans of the need to know life-saving methods to help those in cardiac arrest.
Our firm represents clients injured in motor vehicle and other types of accidents in Florida. Whether in a car, fall or electrical accident, cardiac events often occur after severe injury — especially in the elderly.
After an accident or during daily activities — do you know what to do if a person loses consciousness and appears to have stopped breathing? Two critical means of assisting a person in cardiac arrest are cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED):
- CPR: If trained in CPR years ago, now is the time for a refresher course. A child pulled unconscious from a pool needs immediate help. Full CPR is the use of chest compressions (about 100 a minute) along with rescue breathing. For those without training or without a clear memory of rescue breathing, perform chest compressions until help arrives.
- AED: At the grocery store, the theatre or at work, cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the United States. According to the American Red Cross, more than 350,000 people suffer cardiac arrest every year in the United States. With the average emergency response time at eight to 11 minutes, the Red Cross believes use of AED devices could save 50,000 lives per year. Chances of survival are reduced 10 percent for every minute the heart is not beating.
Sudden cardiac arrest occurs to seemingly healthy people who often have no risk factors. Knowing CPR, and how to use an AED, could save the life of a loved one or others after an accident. Think about a refresher or training course today.
When you have questions about accidental injury in Sarasota County, seek skilled legal help.