It is a worrying time for everyone in the world right now, especially for the most vulnerable and high-risk groups. Most people with Coronavirus (COVID-19) experience mild symptoms and make a full recovery.
Those who fall under the highest risk category (including anyone with a heart condition) are likely to become more ill and experience complications from Coronavirus. If you are in one of these categories, it is important to take the government’s advice on shielding and protect yourself by staying at home for 12 weeks.
Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests
With the whole country currently on lockdown, the advice for everyone is to stay at home to stop the spread of the virus.
With the current pressures our NHS and Ambulance Service are faced with, it is more important than ever to know how to respond to, and treat, accidents and emergencies at home. The Resuscitation Council states approximately 200 people suffer a Sudden Cardiac Arrest every day in the UK. Cardiac Arrest does not discriminate, it can strike anyone at any time in any place. We know 80% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) occur at home. With everyone self-isolating at home, this is very likely to increase.
It remains vital for a person who has suffered a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) to receive treatment within 3-5 minutes for the best chance of survival. Effective CPR and a shock from a defibrillator is the only definitive treatment for SCA. For every minute that passes without treatment, a person in cardiac arrest loses 10% of their chance to survive.
The average ambulance response time to a cardiac-related emergency in an urban area is 11 minutes. This is likely to be longer at the moment due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation and the pressure this is putting on health services. Without treatment from a bystander during this time, a person in cardiac arrest would have very little chance of survival.
Preparing for a Sudden Cardiac Emergency
Surviving a cardiac arrest depends on immediate treatment. As there is only a short period of time to respond effectively, if you suspect someone is in cardiac arrest, you must do the following:
- Call 999 for an ambulance
- Perform CPR – A person’s heart is no longer pumping blood around the body when they’re in cardiac arrest, it’s up to you to do it manually. This is done through CPR, where you compress and release the chest to push blood to the essential organs.
- Locate and use a defibrillator – during the coronavirus pandemic, OHCA’s are most likely to occur at home. Having a defibrillator at home ensures you are able to respond quickly and effectively to a member of your household if they were to suffer a cardiac arrest.
defibshop know this is a worrying time for everyone, but especially those with underlying health conditions.
The HeartSine Samaritan PAD 360P is a small, low-cost and compact device, making it ideal for the home. To ensure a life-saving defibrillator is accessible to as many people as possible, there is currently a £50 saving on all 360P devices and packages when promo code DOMESTIC is applied at our checkout.
More Information
For more information on Coronavirus, symptoms and helping to stop the spread, visit the NHS website.
For further, impartial information on life-saving defibrillators, and to find out how we can help to equip and prepare you for a cardiac emergency in the home please call 0161 776 7422 where our friendly and knowledgeable team will be happy to help you.
