Approximately 250,000 people each year suffer cardiac arrest and only about 5 percent of them survive. Cardiac arrest is a condition in which abnormal heart rhythms cause the heart’s electrical impulses to suddenly become chaotic. When this happens, the heart stops abruptly and the victim collapses and quickly loses consciousness. Death usually follows unless a normal heart rhythm is restored within a few minutes.

Defibrillation, which means delivering an electric shock to the heart, is the only known treatment to restore the normal rhythm. For every minute defibrillation is delayed, the victim’s chances of survival go down 7 percent to 10 percent. As a physician assistant for Northeast Cardiology Associates, I have seen and heard about far too many cardiac arrests that may have been success stories if immediate intervention had been available.

The American Heart Association set a goal to decrease death and disability due to heart attack and stroke by 25 percent by the year 2008. Part of that goal involves treating 20 percent of cardiac arrest victims within six minutes. To accomplish this goal, the AHA launched Operation Heartbeat because the AHA believes a nationwide concentrated effort to strengthen the chain of survival can drastically improve the sudden cardiac arrest survival rate.

On a local level, AHA has established community action committees to implement programs in conjunction with the AHA goal. In Bangor, a committee of emergency response personnel has joined forces with Eastern Maine Charities to implement Operation Heartbeat. Our purpose, based on an AHA model program, has been to increase public awareness and support for a strong chain of survival for victims of sudden cardiac arrest.

The chain consists of four elements: 1) early access to care; 2) early cardiopulmonary resuscitation; 3) early defibrillation; and 4) early advanced care. Of these four elements, early defibrillation is the link most likely to improve survival because defibrillation is the only treatment to correct ventricular fibrillation – the most common cause of death from sudden cardiac arrest.

Because defibrillation is so critical in correcting ventricular fibrillation, we’ve put our efforts into raising funds through private donations to help with the purchase of automated external defibrillators (AEDs). These portable devices are used by first responder agencies such as fire and police departments to provide “on the scene” assistance to persons suffering from cardiac arrest. The AED administers electric shock through the chest wall to the heart. Built-in computers assess the patient’s heart rhythm, judge whether defibrillation is needed and then administer the shock. Audible and/or visual prompts guide the user through the process.

I’m happy to report that we received $40,000 in private donations from groups including the Bangor Noon Lion’s Club and other civic organizations, St. Joseph Healthcare, Northeast Cardiology Associates, and private corporations with a matching grant by Eastern Maine Charities. Each first responder agency now has an opportunity to apply for a grant up to $1,750 toward the purchase of the $3,500 AED device. Currently, there are sufficient funds to support 45 individual requests for AEDs. We continue to solicit donations for this program so that an even greater number of people will have access to AEDs. I’m urging as many first responder agencies as possible to apply for a grant.

Anyone with questions, those interested in obtaining a grant application or those wishing to donate funds should call Eastern Maine Charities at 973-5055. Let’s do everything in our collective power to make sure every person in the Greater Bangor area has access to these life-saving devices.

Doug Kavanaugh of Hermon is a physician assistant for Northeast Cardiology Associates in Bangor.