The Curve Of Death-CPR Saves Lives

Heart attacks are the leading cause of death in the United States for men, women and children, and across most racial and ethnic groups. Quick thinking and quick administration of CPR can and does save lives.

Shawn Ballard, co-owner of Ballard Ambulance, says it is possible to survive a heart attack if CPR is administered within the first 10 minutes of a cardiac event. Ballard calls the time between the onset of a heart attack and applying CPR, the 'Curve of Death', when seconds and minutes count. "If someone goes into cardiac arrest, for every minute that they don't get CPR, their chance of survival goes down 10%. At 10 minutes if nobody does CPR or intervenes, that's zero. But at zero minutes your chance of survival is 100%." Doing basic CPR can keep oxygen rich blood flowing to the body's vital organs, and that provides a crucial link for survival until paramedics arrive.

Ballard notes from personal experience how CPR done quickly can provide a positive outcome. He said a person thought they were having some heartburn, but decided to have it checked out. It was discovered during the examination that the person was in active cardiac arrest. "They grabbed their defibrillator, and started doing CPR. By the time the crews got there they'd already been shocked twice, and they were just finished up with CPR; and lo and behold, the person had a pulse."

For more information about CPR and First Aid Training contact Yvonne Kennedy @ (509) 422-4212

or visit: yknennedy@LifeLineAmbulance.net

.