Why do we need Cardiac First Response Program?
Cardiovascular disease is Ireland’s biggest killer disease accounting
for over 10,000 deaths each year. Although difficult to determine,
approximately 5,000 to 6,000 of these fatalities are thought to be as
a result of sudden cardiac arrest. Seventy percent of these sudden deaths occur in an out-of-hospital setting. The current Irish survival rate from an out-ofhospital cardiac arrest is thought to be as low as 1%. Cardiac arrest is defined as: A medical emergency with absent or
inadequate contraction of the heart usually due to ventricular
fibrillation that causes circulatory failure, loss of consciousness and
brain death within about 10 minutes if normal heart rhythm is not
restored. There is significant information to suggest that early intervention can have a major impact on survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest. Delays in response to a cardiac event can be the result of a multitude of reasons, including:
- Lack of public knowledge regarding the symptoms of cardiac
disease. - The victim either ignores symptoms or delays seeking treatment
in the lead up to collapse. - Bystanders may be unaware of the urgency of seeking help when
a person becomes unwell or collapses. - Bystanders do not know what to do when they witness a
collapse. - The collapse is not witnessed.
There is a delay in calling for an ambulance perhaps as a result
of either: - Time being consumed searching for a local doctor; or
bystander is initially unaware of how to call an ambulance.
- The person collapses in a remote or isolated area.
- Delay in the time an ambulance might take to reach the collapsed
person.
Efficient and well organised early response mechanisms, including Cardiac First Response (CFR) Programmes will support more positive outcomes for people at risk.