Emergency Cardiac Care News Digest is an assortment of current events and news related to emergency cardiac care and resuscitation. Produced by Code One Training Solutions, Emergency Cardiac Care News Digest is published every Friday throughout the year.
People are at their best when they are challenged. If we don’t challenge ourselves, nature has a way of giving us challenges anyway. There is great value in our struggles, and human nature has shown us that we only value the things we struggle to achieve.
– Thomas Frey
People are at their best when they are challenged. If we don’t challenge ourselves, nature has a way of giving us challenges anyway. There is great value in our struggles, and human nature has shown us that we only value the things we struggle to achieve.
-Thomas Frey
Vigorous Physical Activity Of At Least 20 Minutes Per Week Was Associated With Reduced Risk For Cardiac Arrest, Study Finds
Healio (12/19, Buzby) reports, “Vigorous physical activity of at least 20 minutes per week, shorter than that specified in guideline recommendations, was associated with reduced risk for cardiac arrest, according to” a study. The findings were published in EP Europace. The study also found that “moderate physical activity of up to 360 minutes per week, and not beyond also sufficiently lowered risk for cardiac arrest, a duration in concordance with WHO, European Society of Cardiology and American Heart Association recommendations.”
Tazewell County USAF veteran saves neighbor with CPR
WASHINGTON (25News Now) – Two Washington families now know a new meaning of the phrase “being a good neighbor” after a life-or-death situation two weekends ago.
Gwen and Mark Badgerow were watching a soccer game when Mark’s health took a turn for the worse. Gwen said her husband began making odd noises, had trouble breathing, and didn’t respond to her.
After Mark fell unconscious, she dialed 911 and texted their longtime friend and next-door neighbor, Ryan Thompson, for help.
“He’d do anything to save someone,” Gwen said. “I just knew he could help me.”
Watch/read here: https://www.25newsnow.com/2023/12/20/tazewell-county-veteran-saves-neighbor-with-cpr/
Walesby: Girl, 5, receives bravery award for CPR on mum and plans to become a paramedic
A five-year-old girl has received a bravery award from an ambulance service after carrying out CPR on her mother.
Daisy was four when she called 999 after her mother Aimee Hamer became unresponsive at their Nottinghamshire home on the afternoon of 23 May 2022.
East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) said during the call, Mrs Hamer stopped breathing and Daisy followed instructions to get her conscious.
Daisy was presented the award at her school by ambulance staff on Tuesday.
Mrs Hamer, 40, who has a long-term heart condition, struggles with dizziness and extreme tiredness on a daily basis.
The mother of four, from Walesby, started to feel unwell and went to bed at about 14:00 BST with Daisy by her side, but then became unconscious. EMAS said Daisy called 999 and was able to answer questions and follow instructions given to her, including performing CPR.
Entire story: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-67764888
Salina family’s cardiac organization to register, map all AED locations in Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – A family from Salina has created an organization that has now partnered with a statewide agency to register and map all AED locations in the Sunflower State.
The Cardiac Crusade, a registered charity, has announced a new partnership with the Kansas Board of EMS to find and register AED locations across the Sunflower State. The partnership’s goal is to save lives by providing life-saving systems and the general public instant access to AED locations in case of sudden cardiac arrest.
“Bystanders are the first and most integral piece of 911 response to cardiac arrest. Without their recognition and activation of the 911 system, there is no chance for survival,” said Joe House, Executive Director for the Kansas Board of EMS. “Sending someone to bring the closest AED and providing hands-only CPR is the key to potential survival until emergency responders arrive.”
Pallone Unveils Bill To Combat Cardiac Arrest In Young People
The HEARTS Act aims to prevent cardiac arrest among young people, especially student athletes.
EDISON, NJ – On Monday, Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced a bill to combat sudden cardiac arrest in young people, especially student-athletes. The Congressman made the announcement at an event held at the Edison High School.
The Cardiomyopathy Health, Education, Awareness, Research and Training in Schools (HEARTS) Act requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to coordinate with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), patient advocacy groups, and health professional organizations to develop educational materials and resources on cardiomyopathy for public awareness and to distribute materials to schools, teachers, and parents.
The bill also calls for guidelines regarding the placement of life-saving automated external defibrillators in schools, as well as information on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training.
Read more: https://patch.com/new-jersey/edison-metuchen/pallone-unveils-bill-combat-cardiac-arrest-young-people
Beverly Parks Safety Steps With AED Donations, Holcroft Grant Approval
The City Council on Monday approved the donation of four defibrillators for city parks as well as $609,00 in Holcroft Park renovations.
BEVERLY, MA — Beverly’s parks should get a lot safer with one, in particular, also getting a lot more shiny and welcoming following the City Council’s approval Monday night of accepting the donation of four defibrillators to be placed at city parks, as well as authorizing $609,000 in renovations for Holcroft Park.
The Beverly Youth Soccer Association is donating four AED defibrillators that Beverly Recreation Director Bruce Doig said will be added to seven others ordered for distribution to the city parks within the last week.
“Their donation of four units will go a long way toward helping,” Doig said. “The goal is to have an AED unit in every park in the city. We were already anticipating spending $20,000 through a state earmark that we should be getting fairly soon for another eight units.
Full story: https://patch.com/massachusetts/beverly/beverly-parks-safety-steps-aed-donations-holcroft-grant-approval
Why Heart Attacks Spike During the Holidays
More heart attacks occur on Christmas Day than any other day of the year — and with the holiday falling on Monday, the risk may be even greater.
While the holidays are a time of joy and togetherness for many, they are also a time when serious cardiac events peak. The American Heart Association (AHA) warns that more people die from heart attacks during the last week of December than at any other time of the year.
The health organization recently highlighted previous research finding that more cardiac deaths happen in the United States on December 25 compared with any other day, followed by December 26 and January 1. The analysis was based on an examination of a national database of all deaths in the United States over 28 years between 1973 and 2001.
This year, holiday heart attack risk may be even greater because Christmas falls on a Monday.
TAKE A FREE EARLY HEART ATTACK COURSE!
In an effort to improve awareness, Code One Training Solutions has partnered with the American College of Cardiology to help disseminate Early Heart Attack Care or EHAC. Take the course here and share this lifesaving information with all those who you care about.
Course access: https://deputyheartattack.acc.org/intro-ehac-code-one.html
Upstate student’s life saved by AED, family shares their story
GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) – A family gathered Monday at an Upstate middle school to raise awareness on the importance of automated external defibrillator, or AED, training.
December 9 started out as a normal school day for Josh King’s daughter, Wila, who attends Sevier Middle School.
“It was a Thursday and we’re on the way to school. I take her to school in the mornings and she was talking that she had to run a mile,” King sa
But that day ended up taking a turn for the worse.
“I got a call on the radio for a seizure, collected my things, went out to the track and we saw the student laying there lifeless,” Amy Snips, Sevier Middle School’s nurse said. “We arrived at the track for a seizure call and quickly realized this was not a seizure.”
Snips realized the student was not having a seizure but was in cardiac arrest.
Full story: https://www.wspa.com/news/upstate-students-life-saved-by-aed-family-shares-their-story/
Wales Takes the Lead Among the Home Nations In Cardiac Arrest Support with Launch of Community Coordinators
Save a Life Cymru has appointed six first-of-their-kind community coordinators to transform CPR and defibrillation access – positioning Wales as a frontrunner in implementing strategies for cardiac arrest survival among the home nations.
Data reveals that in Wales, the survival rate after experiencing an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains below 5%, compared to their UK counterparts at 10%.
In a move to better this statistic, the six community coordinators – located throughout Wales – have been appointed with the task to actively help improve the nation’s chances of survival.
The responsibilities of the coordinators include working with communities, third sector organisations and charitable trusts to educate about Basic Life Support (BLS) awareness and training, and the four links of the cardiac arrest chain of survival; early recognition and call for help, early CPR, early defibrillation, and post resuscitation care.
LA PORTE HOSTS AED CELEBRATION- DECLARES INTENTION TO BECOME HEARTSafe DESIGNATED
The Healthcare Foundation of La Porte (HFL) held its second AED Celebration in 2023 at the HFL Conference & Learning Center. Each year, HFL provides grants for automated external defibrillators (AEDs) as part of its When Seconds Count: AED Initiative. The initiative helps ensure the La Porte County community has access to life-saving devices.
HFL works closely with La Porte County EMS through the AED Collective to educate the community on the importance of routine AED maintenance, AED registration, and CPR training. This work ensures our community has a safe, manageable, and efficient program to help people suffering a serious heart event have the best chance at survival.
HFL also partners with the City of La Porte Fire Department to provide free CPR and AED classes and Stryker, the medical technology and device company that provides the AEDs HFL purchases for grantees. HFL is grateful to these partners for their support as together we work toward our mission: empowering La Porte County residents to live healthy and well.
At the event, HFL awarded 27 AEDs, 21 cabinets, and signage to 15 grantees. The amount awarded totaled $57,491.10. Combined with the AED grants awarded in June, HFL awarded a total of 78 AEDs, cabinets, and signage to 38 organizations in 2023.
Since 2017, HFL has awarded 208 AEDs, cabinets, and appropriate signage to the community. HFL has also provided grants to the City of La Porte Fire Department to provide community CPR/AED classes. To date, HFL’s investment totals $484,889 in AED and CPR-related grants.
Full coverage: https://laportecounty.life/article/la-porte-hosts-aed-celebration/