Cardiac Arrest Rates Increase by 20% in Victoria, Survival Rates Decline
The Australian state of Victoria has seen a worrying surge in sudden cardiac arrests and associated mortality. Over the past five years, the incidence has risen by 20 percent, with more than 95 percent of patients succumbing to the condition.
Recent data from the Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry (VACAR) for 2022/23 reveals that out of 7,830 individuals who experienced cardiac arrest, only 388 managed to survive.
Individuals residing in regional areas are at a 50 percent higher risk of experiencing cardiac arrests compared to those in urban areas, leading to higher fatality rates.
Statistics indicate that nearly 2,800 incidents occurred in regional areas, with a 15 percent increase in the rate of cardiac arrests since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The total number of sudden cardiac arrests in Victoria has been on the rise each year since 2018/19, when 6,519 cases were recorded, while the survival rate has decreased by almost one percent during that period.
Gordon Botwright, the CEO of St John Ambulance Victoria, highlighted the significance of bystander intervention in improving survival rates for cardiac arrest victims. Performing CPR and having access to defibrillators play a crucial role in these situations.
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Improving these rates is crucial, with CPR-trained bystanders significantly impacting survival outcomes. The data reveals that certain suburbs have higher incidences of cardiac arrests, with the effectiveness of interventions being heavily influenced by prompt action.
St John Ambulance Victoria is advocating for increased funding towards initiatives like Defib In Your Street. This program aims to install easily accessible defibrillators and provide CPR training in areas with high cardiac arrest rates.
By expanding these efforts to vulnerable communities, St John Ambulance Victoria believes that numerous lives could be saved. The importance of rapid access to defibrillators in emergency situations cannot be overstated, as it dramatically improves the chances of survival for patients experiencing sudden cardiac arrests.
