CPR taught in the Classroom can help Triple Cardiac-Arrest Survival Rate

Denmark has made CPR one of their top priorities, and today people there are three times more likely to survive a cardiac arrest than a decade ago.  Let’s take a look at some numbers for comparison:

In 2001:

Bystander CPR on Cardiac Arrest Victims: 22%
Cardiac Arrest Victims who arrive at a Hospital Alive: 8%
Patients alive after 30 days: 3.5%
Patients alive after one year: 3%

In 2010:

Bystander CPR on Cardiac Arrest Victims: 45%
Cardiac Arrest Victims who arrive at a Hospital Alive: 22%
Patients alive after 30 days: 11%
Patients alive after one year: 10%

How did they accomplish these increases?  For one, Denmark made important changes that improved care from both hospitals and emergency medical services.  And, in 2005, they launched a national effort to teach their residents CPR.  They gave out 150,000 instructional kits, and kids started to learn CPR as early as elementary school.  They also required teens to learn CPR to get their driver’s license.

Now, in the United States, there are about 300,000 people who suffer from a cardiac arrest each year, outside of the hospital.  Thanks to the efforts of lawmakers across the country, and people like you, states are beginning to pass laws making CPR mandatory for high school graduation.  There are also some states where CPR is mandatory for teachers to have their license to teach.

Submit your school to learn CPR today.

via USA Today