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For Immediate Release CONTACT:
American Heart Association wants One Million People Trained in CPR for National CPR Awareness Week June 1-7 Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) can happen anywhere. About 75 percent occur at home (out-of-hospital). Unfortunately, only about eight percent of out-of-hospital SCA victims survive. Without immediate, effective CPR, the chance of surviving out-of-hospital SCA decreases seven to 10 percent per minute. The American Heart Association wants a million people to learn CPR as part of National CPR & AED Awareness Week, June 1–7, to help save cardiac arrest victims. The week encourages the public to get CPR training and learn how to use an AED (automatic external defibrillator). It also encourages them to log their training on the association’s Web site www.cprweek.org. The site will feature a live map that will update in real time as more people log their training. The American Heart Association provides classroom CPR and AED instruction in numerous centers in cities across the country, as well as a self-paced CPR Anytime Kit that includes an inflatable manikin and instructional DVD that families can order online for about $30. The association is also strongly encouraging people to who don’t need to be certified in CPR to at least take some time to learn “Hands-Only CPR” by viewing the free online video and practicing to push hard and fast for chest compressions. There is a great need for more CPR and AED training. Seventy percent of bystanders who respond to a cardiac emergency have either never received CPR and AED training or their training was more than five years ago, according to a 2008 American Heart Association survey. To keep skills current, training should occur at least every two years, the association says. “By learning CPR, you are taking care of yourself and your family with just a small time commitment,” said Michael Sayre, M.D., chair of the American Heart Association’s Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee. “The more you practice, the more confident your skills will be in a real emergency. We want people to keep their CPR skills current and see learning and practicing CPR as critical health maintenance.” National CPR Awareness Week Resources:
More Info at 1-877-AHA-4CPR. ### |
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