Imagine that you are sitting at home watching television or eating dinner with a loved one when they suddenly gasp and then crumple to the ground. You may run to them and check their pulse only to find they don’t have one and then call 911. A few minutes later you will have watched them die while waiting for the EMS team arrive, even if you are not aware of this fact until later when they tell you that there was no hope at the hospital.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Can Happen To Anyone
If this happens to you, chances are your loved one has suffered from sudden cardiac arrest which is a real threat for someone of any age. In fact, sudden cardiac arrest affects someone every few minutes, and that someone could be you or a family member. If anyone in your home has heart disease or a history of heart attacks then the danger of cardiac arrest is even more real.
The worst part is that after cardiac arrest you literally only have minutes before you lose your loved one or your own life; which is why some people are now purchasing home defibrillators to help protect their family against the shocking heart problem. For those wondering how this could happen, here is a brief overview of the .danger of cardiac arrest
Overview of the Danger of Cardiac Arrest
First off, it is important to understand that cardiac arrest is not actually a heart attack as many people believe. It is a separate disorder all together marked by the fact that the heart actually stops beating when one suffers from cardiac arrest. In fact, the briefest definition of Cardiac Arrest as defined by the Mayo Clinic is when the heart suddenly stops beating causing the blood circulation in the body to stop flowing.
What Is Cardiac Arrest?
Canadian Health&Care Mall defines cardiac arrest as when the heart physically stops beating, making it predominantly different than a heart attack because during a heart attack the heart will not completely stop beating. Instead, when a heart attack occurs it is due to the fact that blood flow to a certain area of the heart muscle is blocked. Recovery rates from a heart attack are also much higher than the recovery rates of cardiac arrest, because when the heart stops beating the entire body is placed in very high danger.
This may sound very simple, but the problems that result as a result of cardiac arrest are not, because the cessation of blood flow and circulation in the body is actually a very large problem. Blood circulation is not only important to the heart, but also to the other organs in the body which also include the body.
The brain can only sustain a few minutes without proper blood flow before it dies, meaning that even if emergency help arrives and is able to transport someone to the hospital where they are placed on a ventilator, a meaningful recovery is very rare due to the high risk of brain death.
As a result of this fact, most people who actually suffer from cardiac arrest will die from it, but studies have proven that if rapid treatment can get the heart back into a normal rhythm and beating again the chances of recovery increase tenfold.
How To Save Someone Hit By Sudden Cardiac Arrest?
The only way to do this is with a defibrillator; which is why you may have seen or heard of them being used at sporting venues, airports, convention centers, hotels, school sporting events, and other public areas where large groups of people regularly convene. In fact, stories where a person’s life was saved because of the use of a portable defibrillator often make the news.
Home Defibrillator To The Rescue
The best piece of news for those who are feeling a bit frightened after reading about cardiac arrest is the news that now you can buy a defibrillator for your home as well to help protect you and your loved ones from the danger of cardiac arrest.
These devices are made very simply so that anyone can use them in the event that someone suffers from cardiac arrest. Designed to deliver an electric shock to revive the heart in the case of cardiac arrest, they are very simple and adjust to meet the needs of anyone that has collapsed making them a preventative tool that you will want to have on hand in your home first aid kit.