A Life-changing Event

One news report out of Austin Texas resulted in a life-changing experience for Michael DeMarco, 42, and his daughter, Aly DeMarco, aged 13. An event, which happened on February 14, 2014, will cause the pair to definitely remember future Valentine holidays. Ironically, on the heart-filled occasion, a person’s life was saved from a sudden cardiac arrest.

The Difference between a Cardiac Arrest and a Heart Attack

While a cardiac arrest and heart attack are thought to be one and the same, they are defined differently. A heart attack refers to the damage that is caused to the heart muscle from a lack of circulation. The condition generally occurs when an arterial clot forms and blocks the flow of blood. Chest pain is the main symptom associated with the anomaly.

Cardiac arrest, on the other hand, occurs, when the blood stops being pumped through the heart and body. In turn, the blood pressure begins to fall and the patient loses consciousness. That is what happened to Michael DeMarco on Valentine’s Day 2014.

Another Reason Why CPR is Important to Know

Dr. Robert Canby, an electrophysiologist at the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute (TCAI) further explained the condition. He added, “Sudden cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly goes into an unstable rhythm, [or] where it cannot supply enough blood to the brain [and] . . . the [rest of the] body.” He said that the rate of survival for the sudden attack was “abysmal.” Patients remain conscious for approximately 10 seconds, and only have that amount of time to obtain help.

Saving a Life Using CPR

Fortunately, Aly was able to help her Dad by calling 911. She said that she placed the phone on speaker and followed the instructions for counting compressions while waiting on the ambulance. According to Dr. Canby, Aly is definitely a reason that her father is alive.

Life-saving Methods and Technologies

When emergency responders arrived on the scene, they used a defibrillator to help revive Michael before transporting him to the emergency room for care. After placing Michael into an induced coma, he was transferred to TCAI where he received a defibrillator implant.

The implant is now used to protect Michael from a future cardiac event. The technology, which also monitors the heart’s rhythm, supplies shock therapy if the rhythm falls out of sync. According to DeMarco, the innovative device is his “safety net.” Evidently, CPR was a life saver as well.