Sudden Cardiac Arrest: Every second counts
Most workplaces are well prepared for emergencies such as fires, spills and common injuries but what about Sudden Cardiac Arrest? Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is a serious incident that requires immediate attention to prevent extensive heart damage and even death.
What is SCA?
SCA is the immediate loss of heart and breathing functions. It’s usually coupled with the sudden onset of unconsciousness.
The condition results from problems with the electrical conductivity of the heart. This interrupts healthy rhythms and pumping actions, leading to poor or no circulation.
People often confuse SCA with a heart attack, but they’re not the same. The latter has to do with the blockage of blood flow to a certain area of the heart. It is, however, possible for a heart attack to cause an electrical disturbance resulting in SCA.
What do the statistics say?
A March 2020 report found that worldwide more than seven million people suffer from SCA. The survival rate sits at a shocking 5% to 10%.
The British Heart Foundation pegged the number of SCA incidents in the UK at approximately 130,000 with an estimated 8% survival rate. Most events happen outside of the hospital due to the unpredictability and suddenness of SCA.
The UK Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Outcome (OHCAO) project developed a database to plot the number of people in the UK who suffer SCA or out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. According to the OHCAO:
- NHS ambulance services try to resuscitate roughly 30,000 patients every year.
- SCA incidents account for approximately 55 out of every 100,000 citizens.
- An estimated 15% of SCA emergencies occur in the workplace.
- About half of all SCA incidents happen in the presence of others.
- Bystanders try to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in about seven out of 10 cases.
- Public-access defibrillators or automated external defibs (AEDs) are used in less than one out of 10 SCA incidents.
- Lack of training and availability of AEDs directly impact escalated health risks and fatalities.
The British Red Cross indicated that the quick and right use of on-site AEDs can increase SCA survival rates to between 50% and 70%. This figure drops dramatically with every minute that passes without a form of resuscitation and defibrillation.
Warning signs of SCA
Firstly, be aware that SCA often occurs out of the blue. There are tangible symptoms, but once they occur, a person may already be experiencing SCA.
That said, it’s always good to be conscious of signs that may manifest in order to act as soon as possible. The onset is quick and intense, resulting in sudden collapse, no pulse or breathing, and loss of consciousness.
Symptoms occurring before sudden cardiac arrest include:
- Chest discomfort
- Shortness of breath
- Weakness
- Irregular heartbeats such as fluttering or palpitations.
Note that these do not always manifest but can give you some warning.
On-site AEDs can save lives
An AED is an easy-to-use medical device that can save a person’s life. It analyses the heart’s rhythm through pads applied to the chest. If necessary, the apparatus delivers an electric shock to the heart to reset it.
The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 and Provision and Use of Workplace Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) expect employers to have adequate and appropriate safety devices, facilities and representatives in the workplace. The necessity for an on-site AED depends on your health and safety assessment outcomes and should be carefully considered in line with your first-aid requirements.
Every second counts when someone suffers from sudden cardiac arrest. The British Red Cross highly recommends the availability of AEDs or automated external defibrillators in a workplace as SCA can occur anywhere at any time. It’s crucial to start CPR actions, which include the attachment of an AED, as soon as possible when an SCA incident occurs – a person’s brain and other vital organs cannot carry on for long without oxygen.
Steps in the event of SCA
When someone presents with SCA at work, you need to act quickly and calmly. The British Red Cross summarised the emergency steps to be take:.
- Immediately call emergency services
- Ask someone to get the workplace AED
- Start with 30 chest compressions by pushing downwards. Remember to release after each compression.
- Proceed to administer two rescue breaths, an on-site CPR-trained representative should do this if possible.
- You can also use a resuscitation mouthpiece, so be sure to stock your first-aid kit.
- Repeat the cycle of compressions and rescue breaths until the AED arrives.
- Once you have the AED, turn it on and follow the voice prompts.
Importance of CPR and AED training
First aid saves lives. All your first-aid training should include proper guidance in CPR and AED use to ensure a prepared workplace. PUWER provides that employers train employees in the use of an AED and provide information and adequate written instructions.
Include the positioning and needed signage for AEDs in your first-aid training, ensuring you communicate all relevant information to employees and safety representatives.
AED signage plays a vital role in first aid in the workplace. A few well-chosen and well-positioned signs relay a wealth of information – such as where to find your AED – at a glance. AEDs are life-saving devices and essential in every workplace as no-one knows when and where sudden cardiac arrest can occur.
Take a look at our full range of defibrillators, signs and accessories here.