Learn more about the organization that brings you this newsletter. Each year, thousands of people die from sudden cardiac arrest. Sudden cardiac arrest can occur anywhere at home, work or play with no warning. Many of these sudden deaths occur in the workplace.
Abnormal heart rhythms, called arrhythmias, cause most sudden cardiac arrests.
In cardiac arrest, the heart goes into a chaotic arrhythmia called ventricular fibrillation, which can be fatal. An AED is a device that delivers an electric shock and can restore the heart to its normal rhythm, which increases the victim s chances of survival. The device interprets the heart rhythm and decides if a shock is needed. The faster someone in cardiac arrest is defibrillated or shocked, the greater the chance of survival. The American Red Cross has recently launched a campaign to promote the use of AEDs in all public settings, including the workplace.