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A 17 year old intermediate student of a college in India collapses in her class and the teachers and college authorities rush her to a nearby hospital. She is pronounced dead on arrival due to sudden cardiac arrest.
Mr. Peter in his 40s was an energetic man and was participating in the ‘tug of war’ as part of Onam celebrations. While he is at the rope pulling and tugging, he collapses. Friends and family rush and take him to the nearest hospital. He is pronounced dead due to sudden cardiac arrest.
In a country where nearly eight lakh people are killed due to sudden cardiac arrest , it comes as no surprise that such incidents go unnoticed and we end up blaming destiny for the untimely demise of our loved ones due to sudden cardiac arrest . The incidents of sudden cardiac arrests are rising in India and the survival rates are dismally low. Nearly 85% of sudden cardiac arrests happen outside hospital and among these ,65 % occur at home. The most disturbing fact is that about 56% of these incidents are witnessed by bystanders and only 1.3% of these people received CPR (Cardio pulmonary Resuscitation). About 98% of our country’s population has not received any kind of training in CPR.
What happens during a cardiac arrest?
During a cardiac arrest , the heart stops pumping blood and hence the blood flow to all vital organs especially , the brain is disrupted. After around 4 minutes of this shutdown , brain starts undergoing irreversible damage. CPR is the first and foremost way to make the heart pump manually so as to ensure that blood flow to the brain is sustained. It is important that CPR has to be done continually till help arrives.
What are the symptoms of cardiac arrest ?
- loss of consciousness
- sudden collapse
- no breathing
- no pulse
Why learn CPR ?
Cardio pulmonary resuscitation is a lifesaving skill that can save someone in an emergency which includes sudden cardiac arrest, drowning , heart attack or if someone has stopped breathing and heart beat has stopped. Studies show that timely and effective CPR can significantly increase the chance of survival after a sudden cardiac arrest
What is the way forward
- Managements of schools and colleges must take up the initiative in training their teachers ,staff and students in CPR. Today’s children are the citizens of tomorrow and it is important for them to understand the importance of saving a life.
- Government officials and key stakeholders of education systems must make it mandatory for secondary schools and colleges to conduct CPR training for their students.
- Workplaces must train their staff in CPR .
- NGOs must take up CPR training as a cause and make it accessible to remote locations and rural areas.
- Healthcare professionals can take up opportunities to train and spread awareness of CPR .
We all have a responsibility to one another. There is nothing greater than saving another life. Let humanity not perish and let us hold onto someone who hangs at the edge of life and death and pull them back to life.