The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Snow Lake was presented last week with a complimentary LIFEPAK CR Plus from Medtronic of Canada Ltd as part of its partnership with VANOC. The defibrillator will be located in the arena so anyone suffering sudden cardiac arrest can be given immediate assistance. The use of a defibrillator Ð which delivers a shock to the victim's chest to help reset the heart's normal rhythm Ð can literally mean the difference between life and death, while emergency services are called. The Town of Snow Lake is most appreciative of this gift. Fighting Sudden Cardiac Arrest Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) knows no boundaries. Its victims are young and old; at the office, in class, or exercising Ð anywhere, anytime. Simple, safe when used as directed, and effective, LIFEPAK defibrillators from Medtronic provide a critical resource to help a first responder-a colleague, a teacher, or simply a passerby-save the life of another human being. Thirty-five thousand to 45,000 Canadian lives are lost each year due to cardiac arrest. Defibrillation improves survival rates by up to 30 per cent if delivered in the first few minutes, after SCA. With each passing minute, the probability of survival declines by seven to 10 per cent. Making defibrillators easily accessible has the potential to save thousands of lives. With increased access to AEDs, survival from sudden cardiac arrest can be increased by 75 per cent or more over the use of CPR alone. Locations with a high incidence of cardiac arrest and an established AED program have reported "save" rates of up to 75 per cent. (Source: Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Website) For many victims of SCA, there is no previous history of heart problems. Sudden cardiac arrest is often the first symptom, and can occur in outwardly healthy people with no known heart disease or other health problems. Most victims have heart disease, although they may not know it. The key to survival for most victims is immediate care and a strong chain of survival that includes early access to an automated external defibrillator (AED) and follow-up care to assess the need for other therapies.
