The use of defibrillators, which shock the heart, is "disappointingly low"; according to new British research.Experts found that fewer than 2 per cent of people suffering a cardiac arrest in England were treated with the device before an ambulance arrived.
The British Heart Foundation (BMF) estimates 60,000 cardiac arrests occur out of hospital every year across the UK. A cardiac arrest is commonly caused when the person has a problem with the heart, such as a heart attack. The person is unconscious and there are no other signs of life such as breathing or movement.
Research has shown when somebody is having a cardiac arrest, every minute of delay in resuscitation and defibrillation reduces their chance of survival by 10 per cent. ...more |
