Archive - Apr 2009

Bloomington, IN–The IU Police Department has helped save 10 lives because of its usage of Automated External Defibrillators.

Hello!    FYI : If there are any Sirius radio subscribers out there, on Friday May 1st, 2009 from 7-8am my wife and I will be participating in the Doctor radio segment(channel 114). We will be discussing my recent cardiac arrest and promoting the use of bystander CPR and AED's.              Vince Graziano

Roger Watson Jr., Pinehurst, NC – 62 at time of event (2006)

Three times in combat and once in civilian life; it was that last one that nearly got him. Roger was a Lt. Colonel in the Special Forces, so he was used to dangerous situations. But he’d retired years ago, so it was a surprise to everyone that the most dangerous situation he’d ever encountered was in a fitness center. Enter the three angels.

SAVANNAH, GA–A Catholic high school here could become first in the nation to have 100% of students trained in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and AED (automatic external defibrillator). Its all about Saving Lives in Chatham County Wednesday, April 29 at Benedictine Military School (BC) as entire student body learns how to save lives. BC will become the only high school in Chatham County and possibly the U.S. to have the entire student body trained in CPR, AED, Heimlich Maneuver, and stroke recognition.

The Saving Lives in Chatham County (SLICC) organization is helping to coordinate the event Wednesday from 8AM-3:15PM at BCs 6502 Seawright Drive campus. Volunteer instructors include local cardiologist and BC alumnus, Dr. John Spellman.

Entries due June 1st

The SCA Foundation has announced a video contest for students interested in raising awareness about sudden cardiac arrest. Winners will receive automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for their schools. Here's how it works:

Vince Graziano, Patchogue, NY – 40 at time of event (2009)

If you swim for nearly an hour a day, ride a bike 100 miles without a thought, and generally keep yourself in shape, you’d expect to be heart healthy, right? Well, not so. Not according to Vince. He’d just started work after his morning swim at the YMCA in downtown Manhattan. The usual Friday morning meeting had begun. Not a stressful event, just the regular, routine end to the freight scheduler’s work week. Except this was not going to be an ordinary end-of-week for Vince. He wouldn’t make the train back home that evening. In fact he wouldn’t make it to work on Monday morning either. And as for the early morning swim, he hasn’t done that for a few months now.

Program encourages students, parents, teachers and administrators to take action against sudden cardiac arrest

Higher Risk of Complications Tied to Defibrillators Implanted by Non-Specialist Physicians

New Haven, CT–Non-specialist physicians who inserted implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) had higher rates of complications in their patients than electrophysiologists, who are specially trained to implant the devices. These findings are reported by Yale School of Medicine researchers in the April 22/29 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association.

The Yale team analyzed data from the ICD registry, a large national registry with information from all hospitals that implant these devices. They found that non-specialist now perform about 29 percent of ICD procedures. They then assessed the link between physician certification with rates of ICD complications and CRT-D implantation.

Mark Vollmar, Muncie, IN – 41 at time of event (1998)

Mark Vollmar, an off duty policeman,  was on his way to the store to buy a birthday present for his eldest son, Nicholas. His younger son, Christopher, came along for the ride, but he didn’t enjoy the trip at all. They were cruising down the busy street when Mark collapsed at the wheel, his foot stuck on the gas pedal. Christopher was pinned down, but Nicholas quickly turned the ignition off and the car coasted onto the front lawn of a nearby church.

Witnesses grabbed their cell phones to call 9-1-1m and a motorist flagged down a police cruiser. Two off duty nurses came over and began CPR.

On June 7th, the last day of 2009's National CPR & AED Awareness Week, HealthSav will host a day of free 1 hour Adult CPR classes using the CPR Anytime platform.  Classes will be from 9AM-10AM, 10:30AM-11:30AM, 12noon-1PM, 1:30PM-2:30PM, 3PM-4PM, 4:30PM-5:30PM & 6PM-7PM.  Promotion will be made throughout the county and via several business organizations in and around the county.  Pre registration will be required via healthsav.com and the class registration form on the website.  Classes will be open to all ages.   For more information call 914 643 3663.