Wales has one of the lowest rates of survival from sudden cardiac arrest

Around 7,760 people each year in Wales die unnecessarily after a sudden cardiac arrest, according to Arrhythmia Alliance, as it launches a report on how these lives can be saved.

The UK’s leading Heart Rhythm Charity, today called on Government, politicians, healthcare professionals, emergency services, third sector and the general public to take action in helping to save the many lives lost to sudden cardiac death.

A-A Founder and Trustee, Trudie Lobban MBE, said: “Every six minutes someone in the UK suffers a sudden cardiac arrest and their chance of survival is less than 10% - in Wales less than 3% - yet in many other countries this person would have a 50% chance of life .This has to change, so we have asked why is this happening and what can be done to save these lives.”

She added: “Our aim is that by 2020, 50% of people, with a shockable heart rhythm, will survive a sudden cardiac arrest in the UK and the report we have launched today, which underpins the manifesto launched during Heart Rhythm Week, sets out seven clear tasks to achieve this target.”

When someone collapses with a sudden cardiac arrest the time taken to shock the heart back to a normal rhythm is critical. Every minute without defibrillation the chance of survival decreases by 10%. 

The report focuses on the first few minutes when someone suffers a sudden cardiac arrest and the importance of CPR with the use of an AED. On its own CPR can save up to 10% of victims, however when an AED is used as well, this can increase survival to over 50% in people with a shockable heart rhythm.

The seven tasks are based on evidence and best practice collected from across the world where survival rates in excess of 50% are achieved. Up to 100,000 people die in the UK from sudden cardiac arrest each year, more than breast cancer, lung cancer, HIV and AIDs combined.

Arrhythmia Alliance says it is committed to its aim that by 2020, more than 50% of sudden cardiac arrest victims in the UK, with a shockable heart rhythm, will return home to live a full life.’

June Thomas is the mother of Oakdale teenager Jack Thomas who died suddenly aged 15 in 2012.

His death prompted our newspaper to back a campaign with the Welsh Hearts charity called the Jack’s Appeal to get defibrillators into Gwent secondary schools.

Mrs Thomas, 48, said today: “We’re all after the same goal: To get the defibrillators in public spaces and get awareness and training for people and Wales and throughout the UK.

“These figures are way too high. They’re not acceptable.

“If there were more defibrillators in public areas and access to defibrillators the figures would come down.”

Welsh Hearts charity chief executive Sharon Owen added: “There are 8,000 sudden cardiac arrests outside of hospital each year in Wales and it’s shocking that the survival rate is just three per cent.

“When an automated external defibrillator and good effective CPR session is used then the survival rate increases by up to 50 per cent.”

The report ‘Now Is the Time…for Action to Save Lives’ is available at www.heartrhymcharity.org/manifesto