The key to rescuing sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) victims is proper emergency treatment, but using the wrong method can be harming and sometimes even fatal. Common misunderstandings such as making the patient eat or drink can cause airway obstruction and breathing difficulties, while trying to pull the patient from the ground onto the bed can cause broken upper arm. Proper first-aid training including CPR should be taken to save people in need in a timely manner.
According to Dr. Wong, a cardiac specialist, 1/3 of every 100 SCA patients died en route to the hospital on a global scale and only half of the rest were rescued. In Hong Kong, 5,500 people died from SCA every year. In serious SCA cases, patients are unconscious with heart pauses and zero pulse. Fatal rate increases if first aid is not received within the "golden 10 minutes". Proper CPR helps maintain 30% of the patients' heart and lung function and extend the time for rescue.
If the patient is conscious with nausea and sweating, emergency service should be called nevertheless. Patient should relax and take deep breathes as anxiety can cause oxygen consumption. Collars and scarfs etc. should be loosened to allow smooth breathing.