About 92 percent of sudden cardiac arrest victims die before reaching the hospital, but statistics prove that if more people knew CPR, more lives could be saved. Immediate CPR can double, or even triple, a victim's chance of survival.
The use of CPR dates all the way back to 1740, yet even today, most Americans don't know how to perform it. Given properly and immediately to sudden cardiac arrest victims, CPR can save lives.
Through medical advancements in the treatment of cardiovascular disease and sound training on lifesaving skills, the American Heart Association's Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) programs increase survival rates and quality of life.