Cardiac arrest, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and stroke affect millions of people in the United States annually. Despite significant advances in medical treatments for these conditions, they remain a major public health problem and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. A critical common element in optimizing care and outcomes for these conditions is the timely recognition of symptoms and initiation of treatment. For example, rapid initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is associated with improved survival from cardiac arrest. Similarly, early recognition and presentation after onset of symptoms of AMI and ischemic stroke enable implementation of critical therapies such as primary angioplasty and thrombolysis, which are known to improve outcomes. Indeed, the “Chain of Survival” for emergency cardiovascular and cerebrovascular care (ECCC) starts with prompt identification of the condition and early activation of the healthcare system to rapidly initiate care.

Full Article: http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/134/8/e87