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Ignorance Claims Lives of Heart Attack Victims

New research released today reveals an urgent need for lifesaving heart equipment to become more widely available.
Health - 19 May 2010   Download IconContent available for download:  
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70,000 Brits are killed every year by sudden cardiac arrest for which many could be saved if a defibrillator was at hand. Despite this, new research reveals that nearly half of the UK population aren’t even interested in the lifesaving heart equipment for their community or work place.

Using a defibrillator within 5 minutes of a heart attack is vital. With every minute that passes, the chances of the victims survival decrease by 14%. However, new research reveals that over 30% of people in the UK do not know the recommended response time to administer a defibrillator which could save lives.

BHF have provided over 6,000 public defibrillators to communities across the UK in the last 14 years and believe there is an urgent need for them to become more widely available within local areas.

. Introduction:

New research published today by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and their charity partner Home Retail Group, highlights just how important defibrillators are to local communities. However, it seems the majority of Brits either aren’t interested in the lifesaving equipment or don’t think it is their job to be concerned. A defibrillator is used to shock a person’s heart when they suffer a cardiac arrest, and with 70,000 people killed by the condition annually in the UK, more needs to be done to educate people about the equipment and the urgent need for them to become more widely available.

So why is there such a lack of awareness of this lifesaving equipment?

Joining us in the studio is Heart Save Programme Lead at the BHF Claire O’Neill, and Ceri Wootton, Community Affairs Manager for Home Retail Group.

. Suggested Questions:

What did the research reveal about people’s attitudes towards defibrillators in our area and how do we compare to other areas of the UK?

What is a defibrillator and how does it work?

What is the recommended response time during a cardiac arrest?

How can people find out where to locate a defibrillator in their local area?

How are BHF and the Home Retail Group working together for more defibrillators to become available within local communities?

Where can we find out more information?