The
Chain of Survival
Thirty
years ago, it was discovered that if a series of events took place,
in a set sequence, a patient suffering from a sudden cardiac stood
a greater chance of survival.
These events are now known as the
'Chain of Survival'.
The
First Link in the Chain of Survival - Early Access to Emergency Care:
When
Sudden Cardiac Arrest strikes, an immediate 999 call is crucial;
a delay of just a few minutes could prove fatal. By quickly recognizing
a medical emergency, a bystander can help save a life.
Could
you recognize the symptoms of Sudden Cardiac Arrest?
They are:
- Unresponsiveness
- Loss of consciousness
- Lack of pulse
- Cessation of breathing
Sudden Cardiac Arrest is not the same as a heart attack. However,
a victim of either condition requires an immediate 999 call.
Therefore the First Link in the Chain, is "Early Access to Emergency Care".
The
Second Link in the Chain of Survival - Early CPR:
CPR or
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is the second link in the Chain of Survival;
it is the link that can buy life-saving time between the first link
(Early Access to Emergency Care) and the third link (Early Defibrillation).
During
Sudden Cardiac Arrest, the heart twitches irregularly most often
due to ventricular fibrillation (VF) and cannot pump oxygenated
blood efficiently to the brain, lungs, and other organs. The victim
quickly stops breathing and loses consciousness.
However,
prompt CPR can help sustain life during VF. The mouth-to-mouth breathing
and chest compressions help oxygenated blood flow to the person's
brain and heart, until defibrillation can attempt to restore normal
heart pumping.
The
Third Link in the Chain of Survival - Early Defibrillation:
Although
it is an important link in the Chain of Survival, CPR alone cannot
fully resuscitate a person in Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). Early defibrillation is the third
and perhaps most significant link. Most SCA victims are in ventricular
fibrillation (VF), an electrical malfunction of the heart that causes
the heart to twitch irregularly.
Defibrillation, the delivery of an
electrical shock to the heart muscle, can restore normal heart function
if it occurs within minutes of SCA onset.
When CPR and defibrillation are provided within eight minutes of an
episode, a person's chance of survival increases to 20%. Community Responders, like the Misterton First Responder Team, are trained to use and carry a life saving heart Defribrillator. First Responders normally use a version of Defribrillator called an "AED" - or Automated External Defribrillator.
See our training and equipment section for more details about the AED's we use.
When these steps are provided within four minutes and a paramedic
arrives within eight minutes, the likelihood of survival increases
to over 40%.
The
Fourth Link in the Chain of Survival - Early Advanced Care:
The fourth
link in the Chain of Survival is advanced care. Paramedics and other
highly trained Emergency Ambulance Medical Personnel provide this care, which can include
basic life support, defibrillation, administration of cardiac drugs,
and the insertion of endotracheal breathing tubes. This type of advanced
care can help the heart in VF respond to defibrillation and maintain
a normal rhythm after successful defibrillation.
The
trained Ambulance personnel monitor the patient closely on the way to
the hospital, where more definitive diagnostic evaluation can occur.
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