On the occasion of World Heart Day, Philips highlights the importance of life-saving technology to help with the outcomes of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).
Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death not just among heart patients, but also among seemingly healthy people. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), about 90 per cent of people who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests do not survive. Philips is using World Heart Day to create awareness of the role non-healthcare professionals or the general public can play in improving outcomes for people who suffer a sudden cardiac arrest.
SCA can happen to anyone at any time, so awareness and preparedness are key. Immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and early defibrillation, using an automated external defibrillator (AED), can more than double a victim’s chance of survival.
In fact, early defibrillation, along with CPR, is the only way to restore a victim’s heart rhythm to normal in many cases. For every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation, the chance of survival decreases by 7-10 per cent. An AED can help bystanders provide defibrillation quickly. Easy availability of AEDs in offices, schools, malls and other public places helps ordinary people to quickly provide defibrillation and help save lives.
“Survival rates are dramatically increased when CPR and defibrillation using an AED is performed within a couple of minutes of cardiac arrest,” says Vincenzo Ventricelli, CEO, Philips Middle East and Turkey. “In line with our purpose to improve the health and well-being of two billion people per year by 2025, we continue to enable healthcare professionals and the general public with life-saving and innovative technologies like Philips AED systems, so that anyone anywhere has the ability to save a life.”
Philips AEDs are among the fastest in class at delivering treatment after CPR, typically in just eight seconds. Designed for easy use, they include a voice coach that guides the user through a cardiac emergency with a simple step-by-step process.
World Heart Day draws attention to heart health and highlights the actions that individuals can take to prevent and control heart disease. Philips has deep professional expertise in better managing cardiovascular disease to streamline patient care.
From definitive diagnoses and minimally invasive interventions to health information management, Philips’ cardiovascular solutions are designed to help improve clinical outcomes, while optimising hospital stays of cardiovascular patients. Philips’ aim is to help deliver the right care in the right amount of time by seamlessly connecting data, technology and people.
