WASHINGTON D.C. - The U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday night passed legislation co-sponsored by U.S. Congressman Dan Boren to support the designation of a National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator Awareness Week. H. Con. Res. 215 creates CPR / AED Awareness Week as the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross prepare to conduct public awareness and training programs during the first week of June beginning in 2008.
"These procedures save lives and increasing the training and awareness of them will serve to protect all of us," Boren said. "Access to these techniques provides cardiac arrest victims with the precious moments they need to reach hospital care."
Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the U.S., affecting men, women, and children of all ages. Approximately 325,000 people die from coronary heart disease every year, and 95 percent of sudden cardiac arrest victims die before reaching the hospital.
"We must do all we can to increase CPR and AED awareness and training at the community level to fight heart disease and the risks of sudden cardiac arrest," Boren said.
Prompt delivery of CPR can more than double the victim’s chance of surviving sudden cardiac arrest as it helps to maintain the vital flow of blood to the heart and brain. With proper training, AED’s are easy to operate within minutes and can significantly increase the victim’s chances of survival. Communities with comprehensive AED programs have achieved survival rates of over 40 percent.
A 2005 PARADE-Research!America poll found that over 60 percent of Americans had never even seen an AED. Furthermore, roughly 75 to 80 percent of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrest occur within the home, and CPR can mean the difference between life and death. These statistics highlight the need for a continued effort to increase awareness and training of these important life saving measures.
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