Health campaigners are calling for Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to be placed in every community to help prevent needless deaths from cardiac arrest.

In the UK alone 100,000 people die each year from Sudden Cardiac Arrest, more then breast cancer, lung cancer and aids combined and can strike any one at any time.

World Heart Rhythm Week 2011, that takes place between 6th and 12th June 2011, aims to highlight arrhythmias and in particular, how "Knowing Your Pulse" can save your life.

Arrhythmia Alliance, the heart rhythm charity is raising awareness that heart rhythm problems can be detected by a simple pulse check. An abnormal, fast or slow heart beat can then be followed up by a doctor and appropriate treatment can be given.

All too often the first symptoms of a heart rhythm problem can be a serious collapse or even death. That's why it's important to detect an arrhythmia early through pulse checks, so that needless loss of life or serious illness can be prevented.

A-A is calling for pulse checks to be part of routine GP care. The charity is also campaigning for the placement of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to be placed in every community in so that when someone collapses, prompt emergency treatment can be given to save their life.

Helping someone who collapses from a Sudden Cardiac Arrest with a defibrillator and CPR within minutes, is often their only hope of survival. With CPR alone there is just a 5% survival rate but by using a defibrillator the chance of survival is increased by a further 45%. Survival rates drop between 7-10% every minute without defibrillation.

A-A has also developed online and free to download iphone applications to help people take their pulse. The charity also has a WHRW Toolkit available to guide countries participating in this exciting opportunity. It details what WHRW is, its aims, what can you do to get involved and how to find out more information and share your experiences.

This 'toolkit' also offers you the opportunity for translation of our 'Pulse check guide', checklist, posters and many other resources.

Source:
The Heart Rhythm Charity