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.
ENCORE: Detroit Becomes Largest City to Achieve HEARTSafe Community Designation
From the heartbreak of previously having one of the lowest cardiac arrest survival rates in the nation, Detroit has risen with resilience.
More than a decade of hard work and dedication is paying off as Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Executive Fire Commissioner Chuck Simms today announced the City of Detroit is the largest municipality to earn the HEARTSafe Community designation.
This achievement means Detroit is an official part of the HEARTSafe Community initiative, a national preparedness program dedicated to improving outcomes of sudden cardiac arrest, led by the Citizen CPR Foundation.
The Detroit Fire Department has been working to pursue the HEARTSafe Community designation to highlight their ongoing commitment to the cardiac health of Detroiters and to improving survival rates for patients who suffer cardiac arrest citywide.
“Our team has been working behind the scenes for nearly twenty years, gathering data on cardiac arrest, building relationships, and working to improve outcomes,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “Thanks to the Citizen CPR Foundation for highlighting this critical effort and giving us actionable goals to continue to work towards.”
Full story: https://detroitmi.gov/news/city-detroit-becomes-largest-municipality-achieve-heartsafe-community-designation
From the Citizen CPR Foundation: https://citizencpr.org/in-the-news/
Resuscitation Science Symposium 2024, November 16–17, 2024, Chicago, IL
Join multidisciplinary discussions on the latest in resuscitation science and practice implementation in emergency settings. Build your network and knowledge by engaging with critical care and emergency professionals.
This is an international forum geared towards lively discussions focusing on recent advances in treating cardiopulmonary arrest, discussing bench-to-bedside and community-based research findings related to cardiopulmonary and resuscitation science, emergency cardiovascular care, and CPR quality improvement in adults and pediatrics. Engage with multidisciplinary peers and build your network at every stage of your career.
Learn more here: https://professional.heart.org/en/meetings/resuscitation-science-symposium
Fear of defibrillators in Vienna
Lifesaving should no longer fail because of fear
A new city-wide campaign aims to allay Viennese fears of doing something wrong in the event of a cardiac arrest. With the easy-to-remember rule of “call, press, shock”, two lives are already saved on average every day in Vienna.
“Every one of us can help if we know what to do – that’s exactly what we want to achieve,” said Mayor Michael Ludwig, setting out the slogan for the Puls association ‘s new campaign. Thanks to the work of the association and the commitment of SPÖ veteran Harry Kopietz and Mario Krammel, Chief Physician of the Vienna Professional Rescue Service, there are already hundreds of defibrillators throughout the city. But all too often, life-saving efforts fail because people are afraid of doing something wrong in an emergency.
Source: https://www.krone.at/3513903
ENCORE: Firefighter Down CPR
Prevention, Recognition, Response
When the unthinkable happens, and a firefighter collapses on an emergency scene, we need to be prepared to provide the highest level of care possible. We know that good neurological outcomes can be had in out of hospital cardiac arrest provided high quality chest compressions are initiated early. Unfortunately, the resuscitation of a downed firefighter presents a special concern: they’re in full turn out gear with an SCBA!
Learn more: https://fd-cpr.com/
Enhancing the Chain of Survival: The Role of Smartphone Applications in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
This review explores the role of smartphone applications in providing real-time guidance for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) practices and highlights their potential to improve CPR quality among laypersons. A narrative literature review was conducted on the effectiveness of mobile CPR applications for smartphones. Studies published between 2014 and 2024 were included to ensure that new technological advances were examined. Our findings revealed that guided CPR applications significantly improve most critical parameters for efficacious resuscitation. Application users demonstrated that they achieved performance comparable to or even better than CPR-certified individuals. However, these tools have limitations, mostly related to familiarity, which may result in a delay in activating the application and, therefore, in initiating CPR.
Access this narrative review here: https://www.cureus.com/articles/287421-enhancing-the-chain-of-survival-the-role-of-smartphone-applications-in-cardiopulmonary-resuscitation?score_article=true#!/
Can You Really Shock A Flatlined Heart Back To Life?
Movie myth? OR clinically correct? Can a defibrillator really jump start a flatlined heart bringing you back from the dead just like in the movies?
Harpers Heart Heroes, elementary kids on a mission to save lives
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Elementary students in Kalamazoo County and Van Buren County formed an organization to teach others how to save lives.
Harpers Heart Heroes started as a school project when Cambrie Bencik was in the fourth grade.The organization quickly recruitedEdie Ford, Hazel Arugaslan, Lara Arugaslan and Bodie Bencik, who made it their mission to teach their peers the importance of knowing what to do during a medical emergency.
“It’s a group of children trying to teach other children, fourth or fifth-graders, how to do CPR and if they can’t go and tell someone they need to call 911 or they should start the CPR if they know how,” said Hazel.
Video story: https://arcwestmichigan.com/news/local/harpers-heart-heroes-elementary-kids-on-a-mission-to-save-lives
Training experience is an important factor affecting willingness for bystander CPR and awareness of AED: a survey of residents from a province in Central China in 2023
In this study, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 3,569 residents in central China. Descriptive statistics, multiple linear regression and multivariate logistic regression modeling were used to investigate the effect of training experience and sociodemographic characteristics on knowledge of cardiac arrest first aid, awareness of AEDs, and willingness for bystander CPR.
Of the 3,569 participants, nearly 52% were female, 69.6% were < 23 years old, 23.5% had CPR training and 22.1% had witnessed OHCA. Characteristics of increasing bystander CPR willingness included CPR training experience, male, witnessed OHCA but not acting, knowing whether family members have cardiac disease, older age (>40 years) and lower level of education. Farmers were the subgroup with the least awareness of AED and knowledge of first aid.
Full access: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1459590/full
Evaluation of Confidence and Knowledge Regarding Chest Compression Training Among Children at a Health Promotion Event
This study evaluated chest compression training in children under 15 years old at a hospital festival. Participants included preschoolers to junior high school students. Training effectiveness was assessed using pre- and post-training questionnaires to measure confidence in and knowledge of chest compressions. Data were analyzed using the χ² test to compare responses before and after training, with a p-value < 0.05 considered statistically significant. The training involved a 10-minute hands-only session using CPR mannequins conducted by paramedics, doctors, and nursing students.
The study included 180 children (51% male, 49% female). Only 14% had prior CPR training. After CPR training, significant improvements in confidence and knowledge regarding chest compressions were observed among preschool and elementary school students. The overall correct response rate increased from 51% to 97% for the location and from 59% to 92% for the depth of chest compressions.
Responders meet 17-year-old whose life they saved at Bristol County hotel
Some local first responders not only met recently with a teen whose life they saved, but they were also bearing gifts.
In April, 17-year-old Sierra had a sudden cardiac arrest while staying at a hotel in Seekonk.
With early and aggressive CPR and early AED defibrillation, Sierra was revived and on Friday was able to meet with staff responsible for saving her life.
Sierra’s mother took to social media to express her gratitude.
“(Friday), our hearts were filled with joy and gratitude as we were privileged to meet all the remarkable heroes who played a pivotal role in saving Sierra’s life. Our hearts are filled with deep appreciation for the exceptional men and women of the Seekonk Police, Fire and Dispatch Departments. From the dispatcher who initiated the call, the police officers who performed CPR and operated the AED, and the entire fire & rescue department team who continued the life saving measures and swiftly transported Sierra to the hospital, left us in admiration of their professionalism and compassion.
More details: https://fallriverreporter.com/responders-meet-17-year-old-whose-life-they-saved-at-bristol-county-hotel/
Six New Defibrillators, CPR Training to Boost Safety
North Sydney Council is taking significant steps to enhance public safety by installing six new public access defibrillators across key parks in the area.
These vital life-saving devices will be available in Anderson Park, Cammeray Park, Forsyth Park, Primrose Park, St Leonard’s Park, and Waverton Park in the coming weeks.
The new installations complement the existing defibrillators at Council sites, ensuring that help is always close by in an emergency.
Source: https://www.miragenews.com/six-new-defibrillators-cpr-training-to-boost-1307227/
Cause of Rapper Fatman Scoop’s CT death still unknown, medical examiner says
The cause of death for Isaac Freeman III, better known as rapper Fatman Scoop, who died after suffering a medical emergency during his performance at Hamden Town Center Park on Friday, is not yet known, state officials said.
Freeman, who was 53 and from New York City, collapsed on stage while performing and received CPR before being transported to a hospital via ambulance.
Learn more: https://www.greenwichtime.com/news/article/chief-medical-examiner-cause-death-rapper-fatman-19736836.php
College student saved her dad thanks to CPR training at Damar Hamlin’s alma mater
A few months after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest during an NFL game, his alma mater – the University of Pittsburgh – trained its roughly 400 athletes in CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator.
For soccer goalie Ellie Breech, it was a refresher of the skills she’d learned while working summers as a lifeguard at a pool in her hometown of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.
Ellie also was quite familiar with the lifesaving potential of CPR. She grew up hearing about it around the dinner table. Her father, Ed Breech, is an emergency room nurse who has used it to save lives.
The training at Pitt was in the spring of 2023. In December, Ellie went home for winter break. She and Ed spent a day together doing a 10-mile hike.
On Christmas morning, Ed worked his usual night shift, then returned home and opened presents with his wife, Maggie; Ellie and her brother, Mack; and Mack’s girlfriend. Then Ed went to the basement to take his daily post-work nap.
From the kitchen nearby, Maggie heard Ed making a loud snoring sound. It was unusual because Ed didn’t snore. She called his name. When he didn’t respond, she went downstairs.
Read on: https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/college-student-saved-her-dad-thanks-to-cpr-19733781.php
ENCORE: Strategies to Improve Cardiac Arrest Survival – A Time to Act
Strategies to Improve Cardiac Arrest Survival examines the complete system of response to cardiac arrest in the United States and identifies opportunities within existing and new treatments, strategies, and research that promise to improve the survival and recovery of patients. The recommendations of Strategies to Improve Cardiac Arrest Survival provide high-priority actions to advance the field as a whole. This report will help citizens, government agencies, and private industry to improve health outcomes from sudden cardiac arrest across the United States.
Learn more: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK305685/
Organ Donation After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Scientific Statement From the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation
Improving rates of organ donation among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest who do not survive is an opportunity to save countless lives. The objectives of this scientific statement were to do the following: define the opportunity for organ donation among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest; identify challenges and opportunities associated with organ donation by patients with cardiac arrest; identify strategies, including a generic protocol for organ donation after cardiac arrest, to increase the rate and consistency of organ donation from this population; and provide rationale for including organ donation as a key clinical outcome for all future cardiac arrest clinical trials and registries.
Full access: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001125
SPOTLIGHT: Donate Life America
Donate Life America is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization leading its national partners and Donate Life State Teams to increase the number of donated organs, eyes and tissues available to save and heal lives through transplantation while developing a culture where donation is embraced as a fundamental human responsibility.
Learn more: https://donatelife.net/about/
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