Be prepared to make a difference at a moment’s notice.

Knowing CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), especially hands-only CPR, and how an AED (automated external defibrillator) works could save the life of someone you love during cardiac arrest.

However, the American Heart Association (AHA) says 70% of Americans feel helpless to act because they don’t know CPR or it’s been too long since they were trained. (The AHA also says bystander CPR can double or triple someone’s chances.)

And a 2019 survey commissioned by Cintas Corporation showed nearly two-thirds of Americans weren’t confident they could operate an AED.

Cardiac arrest stats and facts

Home may be where the heart is, but it’s also where most cardiac arrest happens, says the AHA.

• Nearly 9 in 10 heart emergencies happen at home.

• Many victims are healthy with no known heart disease or other cardiac risk factors.

• Sudden cardiac arrest and a heart attack are not one in the same, though a heart attack can cause cardiac arrest. Sudden cardiac arrest is usually the result of an arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat, that causes the heart to suddenly stop beating.

Real world saves

Christopher Greb, executive director at Macungie Ambulance Corps, teaches CPR and says he always tells his students to do their best in a situation that calls for CPR.

“I tell them CPR is kind of like pizza,” he says. “Any CPR is better than no CPR, and any pizza is better than no pizza.”

He says the key is to recognize cardiac arrest, call 911 and start aiding the victim. Greb says there are some cases where rescue breathing along with chest compressions is optimal but notes any effort can be beneficial.

“If you’re not comfortable doing the breathing, just do hands-only CPR. That increases a person’s chance of survival.”

Did you know?

Nearly 383,000 out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests occur annually in the U.S.

Greb points to several relatively recent incidents involving Macungie Ambulance that show the value of CPR and AED use.

• A 66-year-old man suffered a massive heart attack and cardiac arrest at an area golf course and was aided by course employees who administered CPR and used an AED before the ambulance arrived. He survived.

• A female golfer suffered cardiac arrest at the same golf course in 2018. She received CPR from a bystander and survived.

• A 2-year-old boy suffered cardiac arrest at a local preschool and was given CPR by a teacher. Macungie Ambulance arrived and used a defibrillator. The child was hospitalized and received a pacemaker and is thriving.

Greb’s advice? “Take some time to get out there and learn more about it [CPR] so you know how to do it.”

Learning that something is wrong with your heart can be frightening.

At LVPG Cardiology - Carbon, we’re dedicated to providing you with advanced cardiac care.

To make an appointment, call 888-402-LVHN.