Cardiac arrest has become a commonplace cause of death of a large number of people in the country. It can strike anytime, anywhere, and anyone who is living a sedentary lifestyle is in danger. There have been a lot of instances of sudden cardiac arrest in public places, and thankfully, these places had come equipped with portable defibrillators and people skilled with cardiopulmonary resuscitation were present as well. Thanks to the equipment and the quick response, those who suffered from sudden cardiac arrest were given a second chance in life.
The Second Chance
Being revived from cardiac arrest may come at a price, but it is a price that most people are willing to pay. Between choosing death or life with some penalties, life seems to be a much better option. People who have been revived can get back to their lives like nothing happened, only if first aid and resuscitation is done on minute zero. Every minute that passes can decrease the chances of revival, but with the use of CPR and with shocks from an AED, the chances can remain favorable.
Given a second chance, some people do carry effects from the sudden cardiac arrest. Those who have survived have reported a lot of effects, some physical, some mental.
Physical effects of sudden cardiac arrest may be staggering at first. There are a lot of people that needed hospital confinement for a long time. Others also required therapy and long term recuperation. One of the most common physical effects of cardiac arrest is broken ribs. This is because during CPR, a lot of force is needed when delivering compressions. This means that there are a lot of chances for ribs to break during the process. Broken ribs are much better than not being able to get a second chance.
For those administering CPR, even if the ribs are broken, there are no repercussions even when damage is done to a victim of sudden cardiac arrest. This is because any and all attempts in revival is covered by Good Samaritan laws in all states.
Mental effects of sudden cardiac arrest are more unrecognizable, but the dangers are still present. One of the most common effects of sudden cardiac arrest on a victim after successful revival is depression. Depression may be caused by other extraneous factors such as financial problems due to the costs of healthcare. Patients also develop a lingering sense of fear due to the events that have happened. Other than the fear and the depression, a lot of negative things can happen. Cardiac arrest can be a very debilitating disease both physically and mentally, but with the support of good people around the victims, recuperation and further healing is possible.
Revived cardiac arrest patients, being given a second chance to live again, may require a lot of medical attention, as well as loving and being surrounded with people that care. With these things, getting the patients back into good health may be a task, but it is a task worth doing.
