Make it your aim to know CPR, and increase survival rates before emergency services arrive.
Learning to Restart a Heart through these three simple steps could save the life of someone you know and love.
23,000 Australians suffer a cardiac arrest every year. That’s 63 people every day. But only 1 in 10 survive a cardiac arrest.
Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. If this happens, blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs and usually causes death if it’s not treated within minutes.
The heart has an electrical system that controls the rate and rhythm of the heartbeat. Problems with the heart’s electrical system can cause irregular heartbeats called arrhythmias.
There are many types of arrhythmias. During an arrhythmia, the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm. Some arrhythmias can cause the heart to stop pumping blood to the body — these arrhythmias cause a cardiac arrest.
When someone is in cardiac arrest, performing CPR is extremely important to keep the blood pumping to vital organs, such as the brain, and using an AED to restore a normal rhythm to the heart, before an ambulance arrives.
Every minute counts. The chances for survival decrease 10% with every minute you wait.
Download and print these easy-to-follow CPR steps and keep them handy.
Restart a Heart Day October 16 2018 is a global initiative to raise awareness and education of CPR and AEDs in our community.