Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) can happen to anyone, a fact that Kiwi comedian Paul Ego knows all too well.
In 1997, Paul’s beloved wife suffered a cardiac arrest at the age of 30, and it was only thanks to the quick actions of medical teams that she survived the event.
As a result, Ego has got behind a Heart Saver campaign to educate ordinary Kiwis about the realities of cardiac arrest, and how they can help if they encounter someone who’s had one.
SCA is the leading cause of death in New Zealand, meaning if there’s one video you watch today – make it this one.
Acting fast after a cardiac arrest can save lives
As Paul outlines in the video, the symptoms of cardiac arrest are:
Sudden collapse
Patient unconscious
Non-reponsive
Not breathing
No pulse
What you should do is:
Call an ambulance.
Start CPR. You don’t have to do mouth to mouth if the patient is an adult, but you can do chest compressions at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute.
Use an AED if there is one available.
For more information on this topic, head to Heart Saver here.
