Each year in the United States, 1 in 4 deaths are caused by a heart-related disease. Many of these deaths are caused by sudden cardiac arrests that could have been prevented simply by doing CPR and using a defibrillator.

When you see someone suffering from a sudden cardiac arrest, follow these steps:

Call 911: Emergency Services should be notified as soon as possible since it can take some time for them to arrive.

Start CPR immediately: Make sure you are performing CPR in the most efficient way possible. If someone else is with you, ask them to find the nearest defibrillator while you are performing CPR.

Look for a Defibrillator: If you are in a public place, finding an AED mounted on a wall should be easy.

Defibrillators are used to provide high energy electric shocks to the heart through pads that are placed on specific areas on the chest. Using a defibrillator can boost up survival rates from 6 percent to 74 percent! It’s very important to use it properly and carefully because you can definitely save a life with it.

To use an AED, first, you must power it on and follow the prompts it gives. Next, apply the AED pads, one on the right side of the chest and the other on the lower left side of the chest. Make sure no one is touching the victim when the AED is analyzing the victim and delivering a shock.

Survival rates are highest when defibrillation is delivered within three minutes from the time of the collapse. It is always important to defibrillate as soon as possible!

It is also extremely important to learn more about defibrillation from an online or classroom course, get your Heartsaver CPR/AED certification here at CPR 123.