The importance of AEDs in fitness centers and gyms

Making sure your gym or fitness center has an automated external defibrillator (AED) can mean the difference between life and death. AEDs are small, portable, and easy-to-use life-saving devices that can be used to shock a person’s heart back into rhythm if it has stopped or is beating irregularly.

Reason #1: SCA is more common than you think it is

According to the American Heart Association, more than 350,000 Americans suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year. 

Reason #2: Strenuous Exercise Raises Short-term Risk of Heart Attack and Sudden Cardiac Arrest 

And many of these cardiac arrests occur while people are pumping iron or pounding the treadmill. A study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that about 16% of public, indoor sudden cardiac arrests reported over a 12-year period occurred at an exercise facility.

But that’s not an excuse for ditching your New Year’s Resolutions. Fitness is key to a healthy lifestyle. In fact, physical exercise remains one of the best ways to lower overall heart disease risk. So get moving!

Reason #3: AEDs Improve Survival Odds in Fitness Centers

Get this: that study also found that people who suffered cardiac arrest in traditional exercise facilities had a significantly higher survival rate compared to people who were in non-traditional exercise facilities (like community centers, church gyms, and dance studios).

What’s the difference? Well, fitness centers and gyms are more likely to have AEDs — and people on staff who are trained to use them — than other locations. Gyms are also more likely to have multiple AEDs throughout the facility. Poolside, cycling studios, weight rooms, cardio floors, and by the entrance are all common gym AED locations.

Reason #4: Your State May Require One

Many states require fitness facilities and gyms to have an AED on site. Any health club that does not have an AED — even if your state hasn’t mandated them — runs the risk of being seen as acting with indifference to the welfare and safety of its patrons and members. In other words, it’s your duty of care. 

Reason #5: Liability Protection

Facilities with AEDs may have lower insurance premiums because they’re less likely to endure liability lawsuits filed by grieving families.

To find out which AED is right for your gym or fitness facility or to schedule a training, visit our blog, call our team at 866-349-4362, or email us at customerservice@cardiopartners.com. 

DISCLAIMER: Information and resources found on the aed.com website and blog are intended to educate, inform, and motivate readers to make their health and wellness decisions after consulting with their healthcare provider. The authors are not healthcare providers. NO information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease or condition.

Sudden cardiac arrest may be surprising, but there’s no reason to be unprepared

Wondering what you can do to fight sudden cardiac arrest (SCA)? Get informed and share information with others! To help you out, we took a stroll through our blog and collected links to a few of our most popular posts. We hope you’ll spread the word about cardiac arrest and encourage businesses, leaders, and families in your community to fight SCA with knowledge, CPR training, and AEDs.

Knowledge is power: arm yourself with SCA stats

It’s surprising, but many people are unaware of how common SCA really is. Here’s what you need to know:

• Each year, more than 356,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) occur in the United States.
• Among middle-aged adults treated for SCA, 50% had no symptoms before the onset of arrest.
• 475,000 Americans die from a cardiac arrest every year and 17.5 million people across the globe die from cardiovascular disease each year.
• 10,000 SCAs occur in the workplace each year.
• 68.5% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur at home.
• 45% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims survive when bystander CPR is administered.

For more information, check out 6 Shocking Statistics About Cardiac Arrest.

Learn CPR

Learning CPR is one of the most important things you can do to fight SCA. What will you learn in a CPR course? You’ll learn why CPR is so effective, how it works, and how to perform it. You’ll also practice CPR on a manikin to fine-tune your skills and gain the confidence you need to save a life.

It’s easy to schedule CPR training. Download and share our CPR flyer with businesses and leaders in your community. 

Encourage local businesses to purchase AEDs

Cardiac arrest can be reversible. When local businesses have an AED on-site, they’re investing in their employees and their customers. When a person who is experiencing SCA receives CPR immediately and a shock from an AED, their survival odds are vastly improved. Does your favorite business have an AED? 

We’ve made it easy for you to share information about purchasing an AED! Download a free flyer today! 

Create an Emergency Plan

It’s great that your favorite coffee shop, rec center, and dentist have publicly accessible AEDs, but do they know what to do in the event of an emergency? Encourage any businesses or households with an AED to develop an emergency action plan. 

Purchase an AED for Home Use

Speaking of households with an AED ... we think it’s a good idea for individuals who are at a higher risk for cardiac arrest to have an AED for home use. It's especially important for the elderly, those with heart disease, or individuals with a family history of coronary artery disease. 

Other risk factors for SCA can include:

• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• A sedentary lifestyle

Ready to fight SCA with knowledge, AEDs, and CPR? We offer CPR, First Aid, AED, and bloodborne pathogen training courses in all 50 states in traditional classroom settings and blended learning courses. 

To learn more about our courses or to schedule training, call our team at 866-349-4362 or email us at customerservice@cardiopartners.com.

DISCLAIMER: Information and resources found on the aed.com website and blog are intended to educate, inform, and motivate readers to make their health and wellness decisions after consulting with their healthcare provider. The authors are not healthcare providers. NO information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease or condition.