Device to cut heart attack deaths

AT least a quarter of people who die from heart attacks in Ireland every day could be saved, if communities had emergency response teams trained to use a simple device that kick-starts the heart.

Every day about 16 people die from sudden cardiac arrest, which often happens without warning and can affect anyone, even teenagers.

Dr Joseph Galvin, a consultant cardiologist at James Connolly Memorial Hospital in Dublin, said that the survival rate for cardiac arrest, at about 1%, was appalling.

Of the 6,000 people who drop dead each year in this country after suffering a heart attack, about 60 survive. In this context, Dr Galvin referred to US studies showing that cardiac arrest survival rates can be improved by over 25% in communities that have “first response” automatic external defibrillator schemes.

In one study in Los Vegas where they were able to get to people within three minutes, survival increased to 70%.

“Modern technology has made these devices simple to use so that only very basic training is required for non-medical personnel,” said Dr Galvin.

Both Blanchardstown Shopping Centre and Dublin Airport already have automatic external defibrillators.

The use of these systems is being monitored with a view to extending the availability of such machines to other airports, shopping centres and large offices throughout the country.

At the end of last month, 52-year-old Belfast-born Ronald Cunningham was returning home to California with his wife when he suffered a heart attack in Dublin Airport.

Within minutes officers from Aer Rianta’s police and fire service were able to deliver a life-saving shock to Mr Cunningham’s heart. He has since made a complete recovery and returned home with his wife.

Dr Galvin said that, while the systems are being used to save lives in public places like airports and shopping centres, statistics show that approximately 80% of sudden cardiac arrests happen in the home.

“What we are talking about is a heart attack of the electrical system which causes a cardiac arrest and the person drops dead instantly,” he said. “That person’s chances of survival are totally centred around how quickly the heart could be shocked back to life again.”

If treatment is administered in the first five minutes the person has a 50% chance of survival but, at 10 minutes, it drops to close to zero per cent.

Both the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association recommend that a person who suffers an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest receive defibrillation within five minutes.

At the moment, no ambulance service in the Republic is set up to respond in that time, Dr Galvin said.