Sudden Cardiac Arrest is a leading cause of death in Australia
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) can happen to anyone, anywhere at any time and is a leading cause of death in Australia.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest is not a heart attack; a heart attack is a problem with the plumbing of the heart. In a heart attack one or more of the arteries delivering blood to the heart is blocked, so oxygen in the blood cannot reach the heart muscle and the heart muscle is damaged.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest occurs because of an electrical problem in the heart. Just like a pump needs an energy source to work, the heart’s pumping mechanism is driven by electrical signals. With a Sudden Cardiac Arrest, the electrical signals to the pump become erratic.
Defibrillation is needed to restore the heart's normal rhythm and is crucial in the first minutes following Sudden Cardiac Arrest to maximise the casualty's chance of survival. Unless people around the casualty can access AEDs within the first 3 to 5 minutes of the arrest occurring, chances of survival are around 10%.
Whilst many AEDs have been installed in workplaces to meet health and safety requirements, many cardiac arrests occur outside of working hours when access to devices is limited. We want to help bridge this critical gap and save lives.
