Sudden cardiac arrest, sometimes known as a massive heart attack, is a top killer that can strike anyone, anywhere and without warning. “More than 350,000 people in the U.S. suffer a sudden cardiac arrest every year, but only one in 20 survives,” says Timothy Dirks, MD, cardiologist at Minneapolis Heart Institute- Brainerd Lakes. “We think we can increase those odds to one in three.”
One way to combat deaths associated with cardiac arrest is to increase public access to defibrillation- i.e., making automated external defibrillators (AEDs) available in public places where large numbers of people gather. Minneapolis Heart Institute- Brainerd Lakes is proud to have recently provided an AED for the Brainerd Civic Center. “The AED is a gift we can give to the community. It is a gift that can and does save lives,” states Dr. Dirks.