Cardiac Arrest: How Bystanders Can Save Lives

Last June at Buffalo, New York airport, a woman collapsed on an escalator. Fortunately, bystander Phil Clough knew exactly what to do. He and another bystander quickly checked her pulse and breathing, and when she stopped breathing altogether, Clough immediately started doing chest compressions. Within seconds of receiving a shock from an automated external defibrillator (AED), the woman regained consciousness and was able to talk to rescuers by the time the airport rescue team arrived.

Clough’s quick thinking and knowledge as an emergency medical responder saved the woman’s life. According to the American Heart Association, more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of a hospital setting in the United States every year, and in 9 out of 10 cases, the person dies because help doesn’t arrive quickly enough. However, if someone receives immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and an AED shock, their survival odds can double or even triple.

Unfortunately, not everyone is as fortunate as the woman at the airport. The lack of training and readiness to deal with cardiac arrest contributes to thousands of deaths each year in the United States. In most cases, bystanders are not equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to help. This is a serious issue that needs to be addressed.

The Importance of Immediate Help

Cardiac arrest is a medical emergency that occurs when the heart stops suddenly, often due to an electrical malfunction. It can happen at any time and anywhere, with about 70% of incidents occurring at home. Even if someone collapses in a public place and an ambulance is called immediately, it takes an average of eight minutes for emergency personnel to arrive. In rural areas, it can take even longer.

During a cardiac arrest, the person often needs an electric shock from an AED to restart their heart. These portable devices analyze the heart’s rhythm and instruct the user to deliver a shock, if necessary, through pads placed on the victim’s chest. While many states require AEDs to be available in public places, they are not always easily accessible or well-known. A study found that after a cardiac arrest in a public place, bystanders only used an AED 7% of the time and performed CPR 42% of the time.

The Role of a National AED Registry

To address this issue, a nonprofit foundation called PulsePoint has registered 185,000 AEDs in 5,400 communities in the United States. They also provide a companion app that alerts CPR-trained individuals of potential cardiac arrests within a quarter-mile radius. This app also identifies registered AEDs nearby. However, PulsePoint has only registered a fraction of the AEDs in the country, and there is still much work to be done.

Barriers to Bystander Intervention

Aside from the lack of AED availability and knowledge, other factors may prevent bystanders from stepping in to help.