The Catskill Chronicle

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY (June 4, 2015) — Would you know what to do if you witnessed a cardiac emergency? You can help victims of sudden cardiac arrest by keeping the beat of their heart going using Hands-Only CPR. A recent survey suggests that 70 percent of Americans feel helpless to act during a cardiac emergency because they don’t know how to administer CPR or they’re afraid of hurting the victim. In honor of National CPR and AED Awareness Week, June 1-7, the American Heart Association (AHA) encourages everyone to learn Hands-Only CPR by watching a one-minute online video at http://bit.ly/FDAHandsOnlyCPR .

 “Cardiac arrest is an electrical malfunction in the heart that causes an irregular heartbeat and disrupts the flow of blood to the brain, lungs and other organs,” said Kristin Judd, AHA Executive Director, “Each year, over 326,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the U.S. and only 10 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims survive.”

 According to the American Heart Association, 70 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in homes and residential settings. So if you are called on to give CPR in a cardiac emergency, you will most likely be trying to save the life of someone you love. CPR, especially when performed immediately by a bystander, can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival.   

 Hands-Only CPR has just two simple steps: If you see a teen or adult suddenly collapse, (1) Call 9-1-1; and (2) Push hard and fast in the center of the chest. During CPR, you should push on the chest at a rate of at least 100 compressions per minute. To easily keep this rate, push the chest to the beat of the disco song “Stayin’ Alive.”

 “By empowering bystanders to perform Hands-Only CPR, the American Heart Association works to strengthen the chain of survival – a five-step process that can mean the difference between life and death for someone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest,” said Judd. The critical bystander links for the chain of survival include calling 9-1-1, early CPR and early defibrillation.

 Check your local hospital and fire department public cources for CPR training during CPR week. To schedule a free-Hands-Only CPR training at your community group or company, sponsored by MidHudson Regional Hospital of Westchester Medical Center, AHA Regional Chain of Survival Sponsor, please visit http://www.heart.org/CPRWMC. To learn more about Hands-Only CPR, visit http://www.heart.org/HandsOnlyCPR. You can also find a CPR class near you at http://www.heart.org/CPR .