HeartSafe® Businesses
Not a day passes when national newspapers or television channels report on a newsworthy named person having died unexpectedly from sudden cardiac arrest.
Not a day passes when national newspapers or television channels report on a newsworthy named person having died unexpectedly from sudden cardiac arrest.
However, consider an ordinary person who dies of a cardiac arrest at work, Policeman, Postman, office worker, builder, teacher, the list is endless. A Google search will always retrieve a sad incident of a person dying unexpectedly in any job or profession.
Fabrice Muamba, former professional footballer suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during a game and survived thanks to immediate medical care combined with the use of a defibrillator!
These headlines can only be surpassed when a notable person recovers from a cardiac arrest having had the good fortune of immediate help from “samaritans” who by chance happen to be close by. They were able to provide good CPR whilst the Emergency Services were en-route to the incident and by even more good fortune, a nearby AED was available and used on the patient which enabled the heart to restart in normal rhythm.
Fabrice Muamba, former professional footballer suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during a game and survived thanks to immediate medical care combined with the use of a defibrillator!
Causes of a SCA
The size of your business and place of work may vary and it is true to say the more people there are, the more chance a person may suffer an SCA.
The location where people are employed can increase the chances of an SCA, such places include:-
- very stressful public areas such as airports, train stations, shopping malls etc
- Working outside in cold weather can influence the possibility of SCA such as building sites, agricultural industry etc
Recent famous Sports personalities and celebrities that have suffered and survived an SCA include:
Sir Ranulph Fiennes
Bernard Gallacher
Fabrice Muamba
Who is at risk for SCA?
SCA often occurs in active people who seem to be healthy and have no known medical conditions. In these patients, SCA is the first indication of a heart condition. However, some people can be identified in advance as being at risk for SCA. Risk factors include:-
- Previous heart attack
- Coronary artery disease (and risk factors for CAD including smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, elevated LDL cholesterol, family history of heart disease, sedentary lifestyle)
- Heart failure from other causes
- Abnormal heart rate or rhythm (arrhythmia) of unknown cause
- Episodes of fainting of unknown cause
- Low ejection fraction (EF) (<35%)
Sadly, famous people who died of cardiac arrest include:-
Michael Jackson
James Stuart
Christopher Reeve
Mother Teresa
Tony Curtis
Brittany Murphy
Share the chance to save a life!
Whatever your business, whatever the number of staff you employ, no one person is immune to cardiac arrest. Investing in a HeartSafe® cabinet and defibrillator will provide that extra layer of insurance that one day may be necessary should an employee suffer a Sudden Cardiac Arrest.