Dr Kalam is a cardiologist at Heart of Canberra and a supporter of the StreetBeat campaign. A large cohort of his patients are cardiac arrest survivors. We spoke to him about the importance of AEDs in the community.
Why are you supporting this campaign? Most cardiac arrests occur when people are going about their daily lives in the community. Early access to an AED is critical for these casualties. The survival rate from cardiac arrest is only 5% and this figure reduces further if the individual does not receive CPR or a defibrillator within minutes. Having an AED available in each suburb will significantly increase the chances of survival for people in our communities.
Can you tell us more about cardiac arrest? There are two types of cardiac arrest, one results in significant electrical instability and the other no cardiac signal at all. The first type, known as ventricular fibrillation (VF) or ventricular tachycardia (VT), can be fixed instantly with defibrillation, the second requires good CPR.
Why is an AED so important? The great thing about an AED is that anyone can use it. The device automatically detects the type of cardiac arrest and treats the casualty accordingly.
If a patient has an electrical problem, only a defibrillator can fix it. The heart needs to be shocked to get out of VF or VT and back to normal rhythm. If a shock is required, the AED provides instructions for the user to stand back while the device administers a shock to the patient.
If the machine detects no cardiac signal and that a shock is not appropriate, it gives clear instructions to the user how to administer CPR to keep blood flowing to vital organs. The AED conducts regular checks of the patient’s condition until the ambulance arrives.
What are the biggest risk factors for cardiac arrest? The risk factors for cardiac arrest vary, depending on whether you are young or elderly. In young individuals, the risk factors are predominantly cardiac muscle disease (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) and inheritable rhythm problems (channelopathies). For the elderly population the biggest risk factor is predominantly blocked arteries in the heart (coronary artery disease) often caused by family history, smoking, unhealthy diet, high cholesterol or diabetes.
What exercise do you recommend for a healthy heart? Everyone should do some moderate exercise 4 times a week. I advise my patients to take a brisk walk for 30-40 minutes four times a week. Where appropriate, I suggest a short distance run, perhaps for 10-15 seconds with a few minutes of walking in between. The important thing is to increase your heat rate so that you break into a sweat.
What age groups are most at risk of cardiac arrest? People of any age can experience cardiac arrest, even those who are young and fit. The majority of my patients are not elderly but actually aged between 45 and 65 years.
What would you say to people thinking of supporting the StreetBeat campaign? Get involved! Exercising for at least 10-minutes a day is a great start to making the lifestyle changes needed to reduce the risk of cardiac arrest. And if you’re a supporter or sponsor making a donation to the cause, you’ll still be playing a crucial part in helping save lives in your community. You never know when you, your family or neighbours may need an AED.
