February is Heart Month, a special time to pay attention to our hearts, and Friday, Feb. 3, is National Wear Red Day when the American Heart Association encourages people across Los Angeles and the nation to wear red to bring attention to cardiovascular disease, the nation’s leading health threat.
In addition to wearing red, the Association also urges the public to “Be the Beat” needed to keep someone alive in an emergency and urges at least one person in every household to learn the two simple steps of Hands-Only CPR.
Every year, more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur and about 90% of them are fatal. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival.
“With nearly three out of four cardiac arrests happening at home, odds are the person who needs CPR will be a family member or friend. That, to me, is the best motivation for family members and caregivers to learn CPR,” said Romilla Batra, MD, chief medical officer, SCAN Health Plan, and 2023 Los Angeles Go Red for Women chair.
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Hands-Only CPR is quick and simple to learn and can be performed by any family member or bystander. It involves two simple steps, and anyone can learn it from a 60-second video available at heart.org.
- Step 1: If a teen or adult suddenly collapses, make sure the scene is safe, then call 9-1-1 and ask someone to get an AED, if available.
- Step 2: Place one hand on top of the other and push hard and fast on the victim’s chest until the AED or emergency services arrive. Never stop compressions for more than 10 seconds.
When performing CPR, a person should push on the chest at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute, which corresponds to the beat of songs like “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees, “Crazy in Love” by Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z, “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira” or “Walk the Line” by Johnny Cash. Learn more at heart.org.
