Emergency Cardiac Care News Digest - October 18, 2024

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.

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World Restart a Heart

Public Awareness of Automated External Defibrillator Locations

This research yielded 2 major findings: most respondents willing to use AEDs on strangers could not locate the device during emergencies, and those confident in recognizing AEDs displayed greater awareness of AED locations. Previous research on AED location has primarily focused on deployment strategies. Furthermore, studies also discovered innovative approaches, such as dispatcher-assisted AED retrieval or drone delivery, that align more closely with the concept of passive access to the AED. Although inspiring, these methods may require additional time for telephone calls and dispatcher confirmation. Various urban environments and high costs may also hinder device delivery feasibility. In contrast, active AED retrieval, where bystanders know and retrieve the nearest AED themselves, may lead to shorter time to defibrillation during high-stress situations.

Learn more: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2824680

Thousands of children get CPR lessons

More than 35,000 school children are to be taught life-saving skills in a single day as part of a campaign by the Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS).
Off-duty health professionals will visit 172 secondary schools across Yorkshire later to train pupils in a life-saving technique known as Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
Jason Carlyon from YAS said today’s mass training session was “vital”.
He said three students who took part in the Restart a Heart Day campaign last year had since used CPR “to help save the lives of parents”.

More: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3wp0pw39xzo

ENCORE: Snap a pic. Save a life. Win a prize.

October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness month and we’re encouraging everyone to locate and register AEDs. By doing so you’re helping to build a network of life-saving devices that could mean the difference between life and death for someone suffering a cardiac arrest.
There are prizes for individuals and communities that register AEDs, so spread the word! We’ve created a bunch of pics, posts and other resources to make that easy!

More: https://www.pulsepoint.org/aedcontest

World Restart a Heart Day shines light on the importance of CPR CPR is a lifesaving skill that most people can learn and perform correctly

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin, Oct. 15, 2024 — Wednesday is World Restart a Heart Day, a global initiative aimed at raising awareness about the importance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and improving survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest.
According to AwarenessDays.com, World Restart a Heart Day was established by the European Resuscitation Council in 2012. The campaign aims to increase public awareness about the importance of early CPR and defibrillation in saving lives.
Since its inception, World Restart a Heart Day has expanded internationally, with countries around the world recognizing the importance of empowering individuals with life-saving skills.

Source: https://newsroom.heart.org/local-news/world-restart-a-heart-day-shines-light-on-importance-of-cpr

ATTLEBORO, Mass. (WPRI) — The Attleboro Fire Department recently received a generous and potentially life-saving donation

Sisters At Heart gifted the fire department with eight automated external defibrillators (AEDs). The fire department is in the process of mounting the donated AEDs in public spaces across the city.
So far, AEDs have been successfully installed at Hayward Field, Ponson Hewitt Field and Dodgeville Field. The fire department said AEDs will also be placed at Horton Field, Finberg Field, Highland Park, Capron Park and Lees Pond.

Video story: https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/se-mass/attleboro-installing-aeds-donated-by-nonprofit/

Caregiver highlights the importance of CPR

Caregiver highlighted the importance of learning how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation after she and others went to the aid of a senior who collapsed in Hamilton last month.
Devena Lightbourne was one of several people who leapt to action when the man became unwell while on his bike at the traffic lights on Church Street near its junction with Dismont Drive.
She said: “I encourage the community and others to learn how to do CPR, not only adults but children.
“We never know when we are going to use those tools. And do not be afraid of it, embrace it, because people need it.
“We need each other, we need to encourage each other in survival as well.”
Recounting the incident, Ms Lightbourne, who worked in the banking sector for 32 years, said she was driving along Church Street when she saw a man lying at the side of the street.

Read on: https://www.royalgazette.com/health/news/article/20241015/caregiver-highlights-the-importance-of-cpr/

ENCORE: The impact of locked cabinets for automated external defibrillators (AEDs) on cardiac arrest and AED outcomes – A scoping review

AEDs are critical to improving OHCA survival rates, but their availability and accessibility is likely to significantly impact their effectiveness. We conducted a scoping review to identify literature concerning the impact of additional security, specifically locked cabinets, on AED accessibility and effectiveness. We identified a paucity of research examining this issue, with most studies published as conference abstracts or letters to the Editor, and thus were not peer-reviewed and provided limited information on methods. The ten included studies examined a broad range of outcomes, including rates of theft and vandalism, harm to rescuers and accessibility. No study compared the impact of locked versus unlocked cabinets on patient outcomes, and none of the included studies mentioned that some AEDs may have been taken for use in emergencies and not returned.

See the entire study here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266652042400242X#b0065

Restart a Heart Live Smashes GUINNESS WORLD RECORD

5,340 people tuned in to the Restart a Heart Live YouTube livestream on Thursday 10th October, smashing the previous GUINNESS WORLD RECORD – 1,500 – for the most views of a CPR Lesson on YouTube in 24 hours.

Source: https://scottishamb-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/restart-a-heart-live-smashes-guinness-world-record

Shocktober flash mob highlights cardiac survival

A spontaneous flash mob broke out on The Strand on Saturday as Hato Hone St John rolled out their Shocktober initiative for the first time.
“It is the very first time we have done this anywhere in New Zealand,” Hato Hone St John community and engagement co-ordinator Berenice Langson said.
“We are creating awareness of what to do in an emergency.”
Every year, more than 2000 New Zealanders suffer from a cardiac arrest away from hospital care, and only 240 lives are saved, she said.
“If a person is in danger, call 911, apply CPR and look for a defibrillator.”

Learn more: https://sunlive.co.nz/news/352990-shocktober-flash-mob-highlights-cardiac-survival.html

Hollywood actor turned farmer Vinnie Jones praised for saving a life through CPR

Mr Jones made a starring role back in a 2012 advert for the British Heart Foundation about how to perform CPR, which went on to save countless lives.
Hollywood tough guy Vinnie Jones has been commended for highlighting the importance of a life saving procedure.
Mr Jones, a farmer from Sussex in Petworth who is currently developing the second series of Vinnie Jones in the Country for Discovery+, has announced he will support the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) campaign in spreading awareness about cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Full article: https://www.farmersguardian.com/news/4369168/hollywood-actor-farmer-vinnie-jones-praised-saving-life-cpr

Bystanders jump into action to help save University of Michigan student in cardiac arrest

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — University of Michigan freshman Ethan King said he is thankful to be alive after two bystanders jumped into action recently to help save his life.
On Aug. 26, King said he went on a run in Burns Park with M-Run, a running group that is part of the university. While on the run, King collapsed after suffering cardiac arrest.
“I was running right around here when I stumbled and fell down,” King said.

Full article: https://www.wxyz.com/news/bystanders-jump-into-action-to-help-save-university-of-michigan-student-in-cardiac-arrest#google_vignette

Fanwood Holds Dedication Ceremony for AED Donation in LaGrande Park

NHL hockey great Glenn Resch attends, supports AED installation in parks.
FANWOOD, NJ – The Borough of Fanwood celebrated the donation of an automated external defibrillator (AED) for La Grande Park with a demonstration of life-saving CPR techniques by the Fanwood Rescue Squad. The AED was donated to the borough by The Aliver Foundation, founded by Jill Pall, a sudden cardiac arrest survivor who nearly died on June 25, 2021, at Echo Lake Dog Park.
The all-weather, climate-controlled, tamper AED enclosure and device is located on the exterior of the La Grande Park building. Following remarks by Pall and Mayor Colleen Mahr, a demonstration of CPR and the AED was done by members of the Fanwood Rescue Squad with members of the public taking turns trying CPR on a demonstration mannequin.
Mayor Mahr called the AED donation “a really important moment for Fanwood when it comes to being able to provide an outdoor AED.”

Source: https://www.tapinto.net/towns/scotch-plains-slash-fanwood/sections/health-and-wellness/articles/fanwood-holds-dedication-ceremony-for-aed-donation-in-lagrande-park

HFL Announces SCA Scenario Videos, AED Contest, and More This October

To localize SCA awareness and the importance of bystander interaction, HFL produced three SCA scenario videos that will premiere this month. Special thanks go to Julie West, founder of Play for Jake Foundation, Tonya Aerts, NPUSC HOSA Advisor, and Hannah Stombaugh, former Miss Indiana and sudden cardiac arrest awareness advocate, for collaborating with HFL and inspiring the creation of three SCA scenario videos. Additional gratitude goes to Katy Gartland, RN, MPH, for writing the scripts and directing each scenario.
In each video, volunteers from the La Porte Little Theatre Club enact an SCA scenario and emphasize the importance of taking action. The City of La Porte Fire Department also contributed an AED trainer and CPR manikin for the videos, as well as first responder cameos by two of the department’s firefighters.

More: https://wimsradio.com/2024/10/12/hfl-announces-sca-scenario-videos-aed-contest-and-more-this-october/

Rhythm conversion in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and influence on the return of spontaneous circulation at the hospital arrival: a 10-year retrospective study

While initial non-shockable (NS) rhythms are often associated with poor prognosis, the conversion to shockable rhythms during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can significantly influence survival rates. This retrospective cohort study investigated the impact of rhythm conversion on the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients.
The study analyzed data recorded from January 2012 to August 2022 obtained from the Utstein Templates from The Institute of Emergency Medicine of the City of Zagreb. Statistical analysis, including logistic regression, was performed to assess the likelihood of achieving maintained ROSC.

Source: https://intjem.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12245-024-00746-7

eurologic Recovery at Discharge and Long-Term Survival After Cardiac Arrest

Brain injury is the leading cause of death following cardiac arrest and is associated with severe neurologic disabilities among survivors, with profound implications for patients and their families, as well as broader societal impacts. How these disabilities affect long-term survival is largely unknown.
Objective To investigate whether complete neurologic recovery at hospital discharge after cardiac arrest is associated with better long-term survival compared with moderate or severe neurologic disabilities.
Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study used data from 4 mandatory national registers with structured and predefined data collection and nationwide coverage during a 10-year period in Sweden. Participants included adults who survived in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) or out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) beyond 30 days and who underwent predefined neurologic assessment conducted by health care professionals at hospital discharge using the Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) scale between January 2010 and December 2019. Patients were divided into 3 categories: complete recovery (CPC 1), moderate disabilities (CPC 2), and severe disabilities (CPC 3-4). Statistical analyses were performed in December 2023.

Full access: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2824689

The history of AEDs: From scientific breakthrough to layperson use The AED’s journey from concept to modern use is a fascinating tale of medical innovation, collaboration and lifesaving success

The automated external defibrillator (AED) is one of the most crucial advancements in emergency medicine. Its primary function is to restore a normal heart rhythm to individuals experiencing sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).
The portable device, which analyzes the heart’s rhythm and delivers an electric shock, if necessary, has significantly increased the survival rates of people experiencing life-threatening arrhythmias.
The AED’s journey from concept to modern use is a fascinating tale of medical innovation, collaboration and lifesaving success.

Read on: https://www.ems1.com/ems-products/aeds/the-history-of-aeds-from-scientific-breakthrough-to-layperson-use

SPOTLIGHT: Six Minutes to Live

Thousands of sudden cardiac arrest victims die needlessly in the U.S. Join Six Minutes to Live to help save them.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/m/Six-Minutes-to-Live

Did you catch something in the news related to resuscitation recently that you would like to see in this digest? Want to spotlight an event or activity aimed at improving cardiac arrest outcomes?

Feel free to email david@code1web.com