Michael Jackson reportedly died of cardiac arrest. I was watching some of the news following his death and one of the channels reported that cardiac arrest only kills around 300,000 each year in the U.S. They followed it up with the fact that there is only a 5% survival rate. Is it me or does that number seem very low? Firegeezer pokes at a headline that might be all too obvious here.
We have an ongoing joke at my firehouse when a cause of death is given where we tell them they are a liar and that in fact the persond died of cardiac arrest. FOR INSTANCE… If someone is shot and bleed to the point that the heart doesn’t have enough fluid to pump throughout the body the heart will cavitate (I am an engineer on an engine company) thus sending the heart into cardiac arrest. Therefore, the gunshot didn’t kill them, bleeding out didn’t kill them, their heart stopping did kill them. Hence cardiac arrest.
Now I am sure that other paramedical types can probably proliferate my point better. They might be able to prove me an idiot, but my understanding of most causes of death is that the heart stops.
Another interesting tidbit is how the news is reporting on cardiac arrest like it was just figured out the other day…like the newest thing to effect humans since swine flu.
As for that 5% survival rate, that is probably true. I have been on a call where we have brought someone back. What a great feeling. Even if it was the most f’ed code in my career and it seemed routine meaning the outcome was the pt. would still be dead. I was surprised to find out that when we got to the hospital we found out that the pt. was up and talking. The guy was dead when he left in the ambulance, but the guys were still working him. I have been on calls where they get a pulse back, but this guy was sitting up talking. This is after I shocked him twice on scene and it seemed like forever for the medics to get him intubated. We even got a letter from his son thanking us for saving his fathers life.
We have run calls for higher profile people in my city, but I don’t work in L.A. I do wonder what it was like for the firefighters and medics to get inside only to find out that they would be working a code on the King of Pop. I wonder what they talked about at the dinner table that night?
Thank you for your contribution regarding the urgencies and importance of EMS personnel. However, an assumption (like many other websites) runs through yours. Not all paramedic s are MALE. In fact, quite a few are female. I am currently in my second year of medical school and work as a paramedic in my local community. Frankly, the use of ‘his’ and ‘him’ regarding follow up and emergent care is insulting.
Thank you for your contribution regarding the urgencies and importance of EMS personnel. However, an assumption (like many other websites) runs through yours. Not all paramedic s are MALE. In fact, quite a few are female. I am currently in my second year of medical school and work as a paramedic in my local community. Frankly, the use of ‘his’ and ‘him’ regarding follow up and emergent care is insulting.
Unless you are talking about a different post…
My only reference was this
“The guy was dead when he left in the ambulance, but the guys were still working him.”
Therefore, I will assume you are talking about that reference. The thing about is that the three of us on the engine, the two on the medic unit, and the 1 supervisor were all male.
If that wasn’t the reference, please let me know which one was. I understand what you are saying, but I don’t think I did it in this post and try not to in general. I am happy to be shown where I have though.
Thanks for reading!
Unless you are talking about a different post…
My only reference was this
“The guy was dead when he left in the ambulance, but the guys were still working him.”
Therefore, I will assume you are talking about that reference. The thing about is that the three of us on the engine, the two on the medic unit, and the 1 supervisor were all male.
If that wasn’t the reference, please let me know which one was. I understand what you are saying, but I don’t think I did it in this post and try not to in general. I am happy to be shown where I have though.
Thanks for reading!