How do the UK’s Cardiac Arrest Survival Stats Compare to the Rest of the World’s?

Cardiac arrest is the third-leading cause of death in the industrialised world. As each minute passes, the victim’s chance of survival decreases by 10%. Delivering treatment within 3-5 minutes of their collapse increases the survival chance from 6% to 74%.

As the UK continually increases the accessibility of defibrillators, how the UK's cardiac arrest statistics compare to the rest of the world’s?

The UK and Cardiac Arrest

Currently, there are 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year in the UK. The survival rates for victims are incredibly low; it is estimated less than 1 in 10 victims survive.

On average, only 22% of people are confident in performing CPR on a stranger, indicating a low bystander response, therefore, a low chance of survival.

The USA and Cardiac Arrest

The American Heart Association reports more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year in the United States. Cardiac arrests are a leading cause of death in the USA, with a survival rate of just 10%, equalling 315,000 fatalities every year.

The United States population is approximately five times the size of the UK’s and they have on average 30.5 times more cardiac arrest-related deaths.

Australia and Cardiac Arrest

The Australian Ambulance service for Victoria outlines there are approximately 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Australia every year with just a 10% survival rate, equalling 27,000 deaths.

Despite being a larger country than the UK, Australia’s population is almost three times smaller than the UK’s. Australians have, on average, 7,000 more yearly deaths due to cardiac arrest than the UK.

Sweden and Cardiac Arrest

Experts from Lund University in Sweden suggest there are roughly 10,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year in Sweden. Of this total, just 5,000 survive, equating to approximately 5% of victims.

Sweden has a population of 9.9 million making the country almost six and a half times smaller than the UK. Despite this population difference, Sweden has almost the same amount of SCA-related deaths as the UK, demonstrating the responsiveness of the emergency services and on-scene resuscitation in the UK.

Help Reduce the Cardiac Arrest Statistics

Having a readily accessible defibrillator significantly increases a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival.

Ensure your workplace is heart safe and ready to save a life by equipping yourself with a defibrillator.

defibshop are committed to equipping everyone with the skills and knowledge to save a life. Speak to one of our Product Specialists on 0161 776 7422 or fill out our Contact Form.