CPR – Cardio, Pulmonary Resuscitation

[RescueRanger]

Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in Pakistan? Per statistics published by the World Health Organisation in 2002, sudden cardiac arrest accounted for more than 80,000 deaths per year – that’s more than 200 deaths every day.

Only 1 in a 100 in Pakistan survive a cardiac arrest, according to the findings of a new registry run by researchers @AKUGlobal. Findings from the registry show that 7 out of 10 cardiac arrests happen at home, a statistic that points to the importance of family members & bystanders being trained to provide immediate CPR to their loved ones.

The registry also found that immediate CPR by bystanders only took place in 1 in 10 cases: a statistic that greatly increases the likelihood of death. The findings the research paper claimed that 93% of ambulance service staff in KARACHI, DID NOT CONDUCT CPR on the way to hospital.

So only 1 in 10 anticipate CPR & then 93% will not get en route CPR. The study also highlighted that Karachi still served by only 60 emergency ambulance equipped with oxygen, patient monitors and defibrillators. An estimated 200 fully-equipped ambulances are required to prevent mortality from cardiac arrests.

The major revelation is that only 7% of ambulance staff conduct CPR on the way to hospital in Karachi.

Why is CPR important?

• In a paper published in the International Journal of Emergency Medicine, During a 3 month study of a hospital in Karachi found that even though half of the patients had a witnessed arrest, none received bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

• Every hour, approximately 46 individuals die because of cardiovascular disease in Pakistan. About half of these deaths are due to sudden and unexpected cardiac events, leading to cessation of cardiac activity. This is also known as cardiac arrest.

• Every minute without CPR reduces the chances of survival for casualties by 10%, if someone who is unconscious and not breathing doesn't receive CPR for 10 minutes or more, it results in brain death.

• More than 20% of lives lost due to serious bleeding could have been saved if emergency life support was provided immediately.

• There are no public access defibrillators in Pakistan.

• The Average ambulance response time in Urban Pakistan is around 7 minutes. When seconds count, someone trained in Emergency life support can buy time to help save lives.

If you would like to learn CPR, i have authored a course which is kindly hosted by the Open University (UK) online and is available to access free of cost here:

https://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/course/view.php?id=4586

 

[Trailer23]

Been Training for it for the past 16 Years as a Air Crew Member.

 

[Philosopher]

CPR is one the simplest and most important skill any human can learn. And it's not for our own benefit, but for those around us.

 

[PakSword]

I have certificate from American Heart Association on CPR and defibrillation, expired recently. Have to renew it. This post reminded me of it. Thanks.

But didn't know that the number of cardiac arrest events is so high in Pakistan.

By the way, CPR kits are also not available in public places in Pakistan.

 

[Trailer23]

I have certificate from American Heart Association on CPR and defibrillation.

Me too. I also have one from St. John's Hospital (Australia).

 

[RescueRanger]

I have certificate from American Heart Association on CPR and defibrillation, expired recently. Have to renew it. This post reminded me of it. Thanks.

But didn't know that the number of cardiac arrest events is so high in Pakistan.

By the way, CPR kits are also not available in public places in Pakistan.

The thing with CPR is you don't need any fancy equipment, if you don't have a face shield, just do hands only chest compression and await ambulance. As in my post there are no public access defibrillators in Pakistan.