Statistics
Urgent treatment is vital for people who have suffered from sudden cardiac arrest.
The figures below show just how critical response times can be.
| Time After the Onset of Attack | Survival Chances |
|---|---|
| With every minute | Chances are reduced by 7-10% |
| Within 4-6 minutes | Brain damage and permanent death start to occur |
| After 10 minutes | Few attempts at resuscitation succeed |
| Type of Care for SCA Victims after Collapse | Chance of Survival |
|---|---|
| No care after collapse | 0% |
| No CPR and delayed defibrillation (after 10 minutes) | 0-2% |
| CPR from a non-medical person (such as a bystander or family member) begun within 2 minutes, but delayed defibrillation | 2-8% |
| CPR and defibrillation within 8 minutes | 20% |
| CPR and defibrillation within 4 minutes; paramedic help within 8 minutes | 43% |
Since more than 70% of SCA cases occur at home, and another 10% to 15% occur at work, trained EMS personnel are unlikely to be at the scene at onset. Therefore, trained lay responders with quick access to defibrillation units can be a vital asset when SCA strikes. In certain environments, where the Chain is strong and when defibrillation occurs within the first few minutes of cardiac arrest, survival rates can approach 80% to 100%.
People who survive sudden cardiac arrest have an excellent prognosis: 83% survive for at least one year, and 57% survive for five years or longer. In fact, when analyzed by age group, survival rates for SCA survivors are comparable to survival rates of people who have never had an event. Clearly, early intervention can offer years of productivity and fulfillment to victims of SCA.
