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The Heart of the Issue
According to the American Heart Association, Sudden Cardiac Arrest is one of the leading
causes of death in the US, claiming almost half a million lives each year. The most common cause of SCA is ventricular fibrillation, when the heart's electrical impulses become
irregular and the heart does not sufficiently pump oxygen-rich blood through
the body (basically this means that the heart stops). The Facts Most people who suffer from SCA do not have any history of cardiac symptoms and currently they have less than a 5% survival rate. Without an electrical impulse, even with the performance of CPR, it is impossible to restart the heart unless you have an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) machine and even then, sometimes recovery is not possible. For the best chance of survival, an AED machine should be used within 3-5 minutes of collapse.
Due to the fact that the necessary response time for SCA is so short, you might have noticed that all public facilities (shopping malls, sports arenas, airports, hospitals, etc) have multiple AED machines located in their facilities in the event that a visitor suffers from a sudden heart attack. AED machines have been compared to seat belts, fire extinguishers and air bags because they are essential safety equipment to protect you and your family from one of the biggest killers. What You Can Do To Protect Your Family
Even if you live in a highly populated city, the response time for emergency services to arrive after a call to 911 can be between 20 and 40 minutes. If you live in rural areas, the response time can be much longer. The best way to make sure you are prepared should someone in your home (or a neighbor) experience a sudden heart attack is to have an AED machine in your home. The machines have recently become more consumer friendly as they retail for between $1200 and $1500. This is a reasonable cost to save your loved one's life! Not too long ago, the machines were on the market for between $10,000 and $15,000! If you cannot afford the current price, ask a few of your neighbors if they might split the cost with you. Educate them about the need to have this device in close proximity in the event of SCA. Agree on a mutually accessible location for the AED to be placed in... and voila! You will have increased the survival rate (for SCA) of everyone in your family and your neighborhood! Now that is a great holiday gift!
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Communication 
