LAS VEGAS, NV--The Citizen CPR Foundation (CCPRF) will launch a national call to action to save lives from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) at the opening of its Emergency Cardiovascular Care Update (ECCU) conference Tuesday, June 3 at 5:00 p.m. at the Paris Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of unexpected death worldwide and strikes without warning. It affects 325,000 people annually in the U.S. Currently, 90 to 95 percent of SCA victims do not survive. Yet, cities such as Seattle and Charlotte have seen survival rates climb strikingly higher. By comparison, the cardiac survival rates in New York City, Chicago, and other urban areas have been recorded in the single digits.
“The CCPRF is calling citizens of all ages and backgrounds to action by sharing practical tips to help save lives,” said Tom P. Aufderheide, MD, president of CCPRF. “By simply learning to recognize SCA, calling 9-1-1, and starting CPR, citizens can save those who would otherwise die without immediate help,” said Dr. Aufderheide. “Care that starts with citizen CPR and early defibrillation, a well-trained EMS system, excellent hospital-based post-resuscitation care, and strong links in the chain of survival are vital in every community.”
“The key focus of CCPRF is to raise awareness of this national epidemic and encourage citizens to learn CPR and communities to take life-saving actions to improve outcomes,” Dr. Aufderheide explained. “To spotlight our national call to action, we are honoring SCA survivors and the life-saving citizens who took action to save their lives as part of our special Survivor Dinner Celebration and Summit.”
ECCU will open with the dramatic story of SCA survivor Susan Koeppen, an award winning journalist and national spokesperson for the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation in “Dip to Black: An Inspirational Glimpse of Sudden Cardiac Arrest from the Patient’s Point-of-View.” Ms. Koeppen will be joined at ECCU by over 40 fellow SCA survivors from across the US and other countries.
Survivors and their stories will be showcased at the Celebration of Survivors and Rescuers Dinner, Wednesday, June 4, 2014 beginning at 6:30PM. Inspiring and amazing stories will be shared by people of all ages who are alive due to the fusion of science, good Samaritans who performed CPR, access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs), effective EMS response, and excellent medical care in the hospital—truly a team effort!
The ECCU conference will unfold over June 3-6th with a Survivor Track devoted to sudden cardiac arrest issues, including roadmaps to promote citizen CPR and AED training, issues related to sudden cardiac death in the young, and discussions with leading experts related to post-SCA survivors’ concerns.
ECCU is also the key forum for representatives from all aspects of the “Chain of Survival” to convene. Hundreds of citizen CPR and AED Instructors, resuscitation specialists, survivors, and community champions will join internationally recognized researchers, innovators, and thought leaders in over 70 educational sessions at the conference to learn about the latest discoveries, technologies, best practices, and trends for improving cardiac arrest survival.
SOURCE: Citizen CPR Foundation