Description

Originally recorded March 14, 2023: California non-profit Via Heart Project and pediatric cardiologist, Andrew Maxwell, MD, have teamed up to bring you information about how to make your district Heart Safe, by starting an automated external defibrillator (AED) and heart screening program to increase your survival rate from SCA and save lives. In the past, Via Heart Project has worked with Sequoia Healthcare District, the Peninsula Healthcare District, and the Petaluma Healthcare District on various Heart Safe Programs. Each year, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) kills more Americans than breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, and AIDs combined. Over 350,000 Americans fall victim to SCA, with an estimated 1,000-20,000 being children. While the national SCA survival rate is under 11%, communities with access to AEDs and high bystander CPR rates have survival rates over 48%. Having an AED within 4 minutes combined with education and awareness within the community is the most effective way to increase the survival rate from SCA.