Every 7 Minutes in Canada Someone Dies

Every 7 ¹ minutes in Canada someone dies from heart disease or stroke while only one-third of Canadians have someone in their household who knows both first aid and CPR.²

Every 7 ¹ minutes in Canada someone dies from heart disease or stroke while only one-third of Canadians have someone in their household who knows both first aid and CPR according to a Statistics Canada report ². This November during what is traditionally recognized as CPR Month St John Ambulance is calling on Albertans to ensure they are prepared in the event of a cardiac emergency.

Outside of proper training in CPR techniques from a qualified training organization, St John advocates all Albertans consider these five important CPR tips:

1) Know where your nearest AED (defibrillator) is, apps such as Save a Life are available from google or itunes

2) Know the signs and symptoms of a heart attack, appreciating they can present differently for men and women

3) Understand the importance of the Chain of Survival ®

• Immediate recognition of a cardiovascular emergency and activation EMS
• Early CPR with an emphasis on chest compressions
• Rapid defibrillation
• Effective advanced life support
• Integrated post-cardiac arrest care

4) Give 30 compressions – push hard – push fast! At a rate of 100-120 per minute

5) If you don’t know CPR there are things you can do to help. Find a defibrillator, call 9-1-1, or calling for help from those around you.

The statistics speak for themselves.

• For every one minute delay in defibrillation, the survival rate of a cardiac arrest victim decreases by 7 to 10%³
• In Canada, 35,000 to 45,000 people die of sudden cardiac arrest each year.³
• Sudden cardiac arrest occurs with a frequency of roughly 1/1000 people 35 years of age or older per year.³
• The use of a defibrillator can increase the odds of survival by up to 75% or more ³

A 2016 study showed that Canadians were reluctant to perform CPR especially as it related to ventilations (mouth to mouth). What is important to know is that if the first aider is reticent to do ventilations, compressions only can still help to prolong life until EMS arrives. The findings of this study in conjunction with the alarming statistics above make CPR awareness a critical issue for Canadians not just during the month of November but every day.