The Science Behind HEARTSafe Communities

Heart disease kills more people each year than cancer (1 in every 2.9 deaths).

Every year, 230,00-325,000 people have a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital. Only 7.6% survive.

Approximately 70% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in homes.

Heart Attack vs. Cardiac Arrest

There is a blockage in the coronary artery.
Without oxygen-rich blood from reaching a section of the heart, part of the heart not nourished begins to die.
The person is usually conscious.
There is upper body discomfort or pain.
The heart may not stop beating.

An electrical malfunction in the heart causes an irregular heartbeat.
With its pumping action disrupted, the heart can’t pump blood to the brain, lungs, and other organs.
The person is unconscious.
Often, there are no previous symptoms.
The person may be gasping or not breathing at all.

*Often a cardiac arrest occurs due to a heart attack.

Chest compression only CPR is a new method of resuscitation.
Continuous, forceful chest compressions are used to circulate the person’s blood to their brain and heart.
Rescue breathing isn’t necessary because during a primary cardiac arrest the lungs are full of air, the blood is full of oxygen, and circulating the oxygenated blood is the key.

An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a lightweight, portable device that delivers an electric shock through the chest to the heart to change the heart’s rhythm back to normal.
AEDs help people who have a sudden cardiac arrest, which occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating regularly.
AEDs are intended for use by the public and, when combined with CPR, provide the best chance of saving a life.

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