US Aims to Lower Cardiac and Stroke Deaths

Two new pieces of legislation passed by the US Senate are designed to improve the survival rates for sudden cardiac death and stroke. Both have been endorsed by the American Heart Association.

The Community AED (automatic external defibrillator) Act authorizes US$55 million a year for five years for communities to establish public access defibrillation programs. These will help train and equip first responders, purchase and place AEDs in public places where cardiac arrests are likely to occur, and encourage private companies to train and equip employees to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and emergency defibrillation. A special provision provides public schools with the guidance and resources necessary to establish public access defibrillation programs, ensures that schools have access to appropriate training and fund-raising techniques, and enables communities to establish heart-screening programs for young people who are at risk.

The STOP Stroke Act stresses the importance of prevention, early intervention, and rehabilitation for stroke victims. The bill establishes a national campaign to educate the public about stroke risk factors, signs, symptoms, and treatments as well as a grant program to provide states with funding to help ensure that all stroke patients have prompt access to quality care. In addition, the bill provides for the training of medical personnel in newly developed approaches for preventing and treating stroke and promotes the collection of research to identify best practices, barriers, to care, and disparities in care.

"We applaud this bold action which will move us toward our goal of reducing disability and death from heart disease and stroke, our nation's number one and number three killers,” said David Faxon, M.D., AHA's president. "These measures will ensure that people who suffer cardiac arrest or stroke will receive the most appropriate care as quickly as possible and will be given the best chances for survival.”





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