ROUND 1: The Get in Get HeartCharged
Get Help
Read important information below then click here to learn the exact steps to take.
DO I REALLY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT LEARNING ALL THIS?
YES!!!
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) attacks 365,000 people in the US each year.
It attacks people of all ages, even people who look healthy.
Sudden cardiac arrest shouldn’t be a surprise.
95% of the time it is fatal mostly because:
People didn’t learn all this.
People didn’t do all this.
The victim was alone.
Emergency help couldn’t arrive soon enough.
WHAT WILL SOMEONE EXPERIENCING SCA LOOK LIKE?
Before sudden cardiac arrest, people may experience dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath, racing heartbeat, or even nausea or vomiting.
They may look like they collapsed.
They will not be responsive.
They will not be breathing.
Often they are very sweaty.
They may appear to be resting especially if they have just completed physical activity.
They may look like they are having a seizure, but don’t be fooled.
They may be making gasping or gurgling or raspy noises.
They might have just suffered a severe blow to the chest or been struck by lightning or been in a drowning situation.
They might go into cardiac arrest in their sleep.
WHAT IS ACTUALLY EVEN HAPPENING DURING SCA?
It starts with an electrical problem in the heart which can be caused by a range of things from a genetic disorder to a heart condition to a blow to the chest. All of a sudden the heart almost short circuits. The heart is not pumping but rather quivering. No blood gets to the rest of the body including the lungs or brain. So in a few seconds, the person passes out, stops breathing, has no pulse, and goes unconscious.
That’s why you need to quickly Get HeartCharged.
Simple answer: no blood flow = no pulse, no breathing, no consciousness
IF THE CPR AND AED ARE WHAT SAVE LIVES, SHOULDN’T I START THEM BEFORE CALLING?
NO!!!
Response times in the US range from 6-12 minutes. Every minute without life-saving CPR/AED shock lowers the survival rate 10%. Without blood circulating, the victim can become brain dead or completely dead.
Round 1 is the place to start but not the place to end.
KEEP GOING!!! YOU CAN DO THIS. You can help save a life. Continue on to Rounds 2 and 3.
What if I’m afraid I’ll do more harm than good?
You may be their only chance for survival!
Stop worrying about hurting someone whose heart has already stopped beating.
Better bruised than dead.
Better a broken rib than no blood flow.
There are Good Samaritan laws (in every US state) protecting people trying to save someone from dying.
AEDs analyze a person’s heart before jolting them.
The AED will not shock a person who does not need it.
They might be dead without your help.
They could be alive with your help.
IF THE CPR AND AED ARE WHAT IS IMPORTANT, SHOULDN’T I START THEM BEFORE CALLING?
No!!!
GET HELP!