Facts & Figures
5% chance of survival without immediate defibrillation 1
 

Sudden cardiac arrest is not a heart attack. Typically, a heart attack victim is alert and awake while experiencing pain due to restricted blood flow to the heart.
A sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) victim becomes unconscious in an instant and collapses to the ground, suffering from irregular heart rhythm called ventricular fibrillation (the heart muscle quivers).

While a heart attack victim risks death, a sudden cardiac arrest victim has a greater chance of immediate death, unless the heart is shocked promptly.

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Consider these statistics:

• More than 70% of SCA happen outside a hospital
• Only 1 person in 20 currently survives an SCA outside the hospital2
• Over 700,000 people die from SCA every year in Europe1
• 13% of workplace fatalities are from sudden cardiac arrest5

The enemy to survival is time:

• For every minute that defibrillation is delayed, the chances of surviving SCA decreases by 7% to 10%3
• Death from SCA may occur within 10 minutes
• Emergency medical professionals take an average of 9 minutes to reach an SCA victim

Today, there is overwhelming evidence that defibrillation, in combination with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), is the definitive treatment for victims of SCA. Defibrillation shocks the heart. Passing an electrical shock through the heart can restore it to a normal rhythm.

Defibrillation works:

• There is a 75% chance of survival with immediate defibrillation1
• Fast access to defibrillation could increase chances of survival in 3 out of every 4 SCA cases1
• Defibrillation is the only effective intervention to treat cardiac arrest (specifically ventricular fibrillation)
• 34% of organizations who have implemented an AED program have used their AED at least once in order to help save a life4

While CPR and defibrillation greatly improve the chance of surviving SCA, getting treatment to the victim in a timely manner is a challenge. Saving a victim from death due to SCA depends on immediate bystander intervention.

Only a broader understanding of SCA and its treatment will change the tide.
You can help.

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