Cops\, civic staff to get cardiac-revival training

Mumba

Cops, civic staff to get cardiac-revival training

First, aid: Professor Prafulla Kerkar, Commissioner of Police Subodh Jaiswal, Municipal Commisioner Ajoy Mehta and actor Kajol at the initiative at NSCI, Worli.

First, aid: Professor Prafulla Kerkar, Commissioner of Police Subodh Jaiswal, Municipal Commisioner Ajoy Mehta and actor Kajol at the initiative at NSCI, Worli.  

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Cardiological society to impart three-day training in hands-only resuscitation

As cardiologists prepare for the 70th annual conference of the Cardiological Society of India next month, one of the main highlights of the event will be a training session for Mumbai police, including traffic and railway police, and staff from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in ‘hands-only’ cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

The doctors aim to train 50 officials from each of these departments as a pilot and then continue the training.

“Our dream is to have at least one member in each family thoroughly trained in giving hands-only CPR,” said Dr. Prafulla Kerkar, head of cardiology at KEM Hospital, who is also the organising secretary of the conference that will be held from November 22 to 25.

“At present, merely one in 10 people who have a sudden cardiac arrest survive. This rate can be increased three to four-fold if the problem is identified and hands-only CPR is performed immediately,” said Dr. Kerkar, citing the example of a Central Industrial Security Force assistant sub-inspector Mohit Kumar Sharma, who performed a CPR on a man who collapsed at the international airport on Monday. The traveller was then assisted by a medical team and admitted to Nanavati Hospital.

“Because a CPR was performed, it helped the patient tremendously. His blood flow continued and it reduced the damage to his organs,” said Dr. Rajendra Patankar, Chief Operating Officer of Nanavati Hospital.

The patient underwent an angiography, which revealed a blockage in one of his arteries. “Our doctors then carried out an angioplasty to clear the blockage with one stent. His condition is stable,” said Dr. Patankar.

A sudden cardiac arrest happens when the heart’s electrical system malfunctions, causing it to beat abruptly or to stop beating. This blocks the blood supply to other organs like the brain, lungs and so on. The person gasps or stops breathing within seconds and becomes unresponsive.

If a CPR is performed on time, the blood flow can be kept going till the person is further revived with the help of an Automated External Defibrillator machine.

“We are already in talks with the commissioners to work out the procedure,” said Dr. Kerkar.