FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cardiovascular Associates of the Delaware Valley Offers Free Demonstration of Lifesaving Skills for Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Area Doctors Offer Free CPR and AED Training as Part of “Save a Life” Initiative

Haddon Heights, NJ Calling all Little League coaches and members of the community at large: More people die from sudden cardiac arrest each year than from breast cancer, AIDS and traffic accidents combined. As part of its newly created Save a Life Initiative (SALI), Cardiovascular Associates of the Delaware Valley (CADV) will demonstrate lifesaving techniques at the Cherry Hill Public Library on Saturday, January 20. Area cardiologists will host a free seminar on caring for individuals experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and personal automated external defibrillator (AED) training, from 10 am to 2 pm.

Attendees will receive a CADV CPR kit, including gloves, a breathing barrier, and CPR instructions. Additional information on AED purchasing and CPR certification will also be available. In addition, one attendee will win a Medtronic AED, which will be donated to a non-profit of the winner’s choice. Refreshments will be served.

SALI emphasizes community outreach and public education on the topics of sudden cardiac death and available therapies in Southern New Jersey. In addition to the free seminar, the first of several planned in 2007, each CADV cardiologist purchased a personal automated external defibrillator (AED). The initiative makes a nationally-unprecedented statement about the importance of having the equipment in the home, according to Sanford Gips, M.D., FACC, the CADV cardiologist who is chairing the Initiative.

AEDs are designed to allow minimally trained people to respond to cardiac emergencies. The devices are pre-programmed to analyze the heart’s electrical function and provide a brief but powerful electric stimulation to the heart, which interrupts the abnormal rhythm and helps restore the natural rhythm. When used properly, AEDs pose no risk to the rescuer or patient.

Cardiovascular Associates of the Delaware Valley (CADV) is a physicians group providing complete cardiovascular care to patients.