by Donna RyanDangerous Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a leading cause of death in the United States, with nearly 356,000 out-of-hospital cases occurring each year. When it comes to saving lives, every second counts. That’s where CPR and automated external defibrillators (AEDs) come into play. To address the issue, California has passed a law that will take […]
by Donna RyanPeople without a medical background may learn BLS. However, you need medical knowledge to understand ACLS. Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) are supportive therapies for cardiac arrest and severe injury patients. While ACLS and BLS are used to treat a person in cardiac arrest, they differ in how rescuers use […]
by Donna RyanGolfer wakes up in hospital. Last thing he remembers is a great long putt.
by Tom SirmonsLeo Staudacher hadn’t planned on watching the Michigan-Notre game on television, let alone in a hospital ICU unit. But he was very grateful to have seen the end of the game at all. The 69 year old Bay City man was watching the game at Michigan Stadium when he collapsed from sudden cardiac arrest, […]
by Tom SirmonsWhen paramedics in Dallas arrived at Sarah Zumwalt Middle School, they found a teacher in the midst of a heart attack. “He was in ventricular fibrillation, a fatal rhythm,” said Fire Department Lieutenant Greg Henderson. They also found that a fellow educator already was performing CPR. Said Henderson, “Bystander CPR is what saved this person’s […]
by Maria McCutchenBallparks are always a fun gathering place for many people and families. The excitement of seeing your child playing baseball can bring out a sense of pride, and enjoyment. But, as fun as ballparks are, they can also be dangerous. There are many different types of injuries that can occur at a ballpark, one of […]
by Pearl Salkinwritten by Pearl Salkin | What could be better than spending a beautiful spring day at the beach? Kids living at the coast or lakeside have perennially played hooky on a hot May day to enjoy the sand and the surf. Similarly, grandmas and grandpas in Miami and throughout the Sunshine State often find the […]
by Pearl SalkinSurvivors of sudden cardiac arrest usually feel lucky to be alive. Their rescuer was in the right place, at the right time and ready to use their CPR skills to save the victim‘s life.. While the successful outcome of each individual who has come back from the brink is surely something to celebrate, one young […]
by Tom SirmonsThe call came in to the Marin County, California Fire Department: “Bicyclist down”. Dispatchers say they get a lot of such calls, usually involving minor injuries. This one was different. When a fire truck and paramedics rolled up to the scene, a bystander was performing CPR on the downed cyclist, who’d had a heart […]
by Tom SirmonsSome might call it a bizarre set of coincidences, while others would say it was divine intervention. Either way, the fact that a 22-month old girl survived cardiac arrest was a miracle directly attributable to the CPR training of a passerby. The toddler was visiting with relatives in St. Catharine’s, Canada, when the crisis […]
by Tom SirmonsYou’re never too young to have a heart attack – or too young to save the life of someone who’s had one. Beth Scroggs was only 52 and in good health, riding San Francisco BART commuter train, when suddenly she slumped over in her seat, unconscious. Ms. Scroggs had suffered a cardiac arrest, the leading […]
by Mollie BowmanWith the 2010 guidelines, American Heart Association now endorses wave form capnography. So what is Capnography? Capnography is becoming an integral part of the monitoring done in the prehospital environment. A capnograph is used to monitor/measure the amount of carbon dioxide in respiratory gases. It provides information about the effectiveness of respiration’s, and end-tidal carbon […]
by Tom SirmonsBystanders performing CPR and law enforcement officers equipped with a readily-available electronic device saved the life of a 74-year old heart attack victim in Cayucos, California. In both cases, a few hours of training made all the difference. Ben Hunt was having dinner with his wife at a restaurant, when he looked through the window […]
by Benjamin RousseyThe morning of the 3rd Saturday in May of 2008 was not any different than any other 3rd Saturday of any other month for Joe Fernando. A librarian by profession, Joe was also a trained first aid support volunteer. More like a custom out of habit, Joe got up late, prepared himself for the day […]
by Pearl SalkinThere is a funny quote attributed to American author and humorist Mark Twain stating that reports of his death were greatly exaggerated. Florida resident and cardiac arrest survivor Charles Morgan can honestly say, “Been there, done that!” Morgan miraculously came back from the great beyond. According to medical experts, he was dead for 16-20 minutes […]