ARARAT Rural City has the fourth highest rate of cardiac arrest in Victoria.
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The Heart Foundation has revealed the rate of cardiac arrest for each local government area in the state based on the last six years of Ambulance Victoria’s out-of-hospital cardiac arrest data.
Ararat’s heart disease risk factors are all higher than the Victorian average - with the exception of physical activity, which compares well.
Ararat has a higher proportion of smokers (16 per cent) among both males and females, a higher rate of obesity, lower fruit and vegetable consumption and higher soft-drink consumption than Victoria overall.
Health Minister Jill Hennessy said the data serves as an important tool for government and organisations like the Heart Foundation.
“These figures show that, sadly, there is a link between areas of social disadvantage and high rates of heart disease and cardiac arrest,” she said.
Ambulance Victoria's Acting Chief Executive, Associate Professor Tony Walker said that bystanders are the critical first link in the chain of survival and helped keep patients alive before paramedics arrived.
“In a cardiac arrest minutes matter, and the sooner you receive CPR and defibrillation the better your chances of survival,” he said.
“Our paramedics are highly trained and deliver world class clinical care but it is often the bystander at the scene that can make the difference between life and death.
“CPR is the most effective thing someone can do and, we know in four out of five cases bystanders have taken action. We also know any CPR is better than no CPR.”