Cardiovascular disease accounts for the death of more Canadians than any other disease.

• There are an estimated 70,000 heart attacks each year in Canada
• Every 7 minutes someone dies from heart disease or stroke in Canada
• Between 35,000 and 45,000 people die of cardiac arrest every year in Canada
  

CPR is an emergency procedure involving chest compressions and artificial respiration. For every minute that passes without help, a person's chance of surviving drops by about 10%. Knowing how to respond to a cardiac arrest, improves the chances of survival and recovery by 30% or more.

Four major links in the "Chain of Survival", are critical to ensuring the survival of an individual who experiences cardiac arrest.

• Early 9-1-1 notification
• Early CPR
• Early Defibrillation
• Early access to Advanced Care Paramedics

Learning CPR is easy and inexpensive - just a few hours could make an important difference in someone's life.

Family and Friends CPR
For family member of patients at high risk for cardiac arrest or with heart disease; parents with young children; someone who participates in demanding sports such as recreational hockey, basketball and soccer; or an organization that wants to coordinate a training event for staff

HeartSaver (A)
This course teaches CPR and relief of choking in adults. The course is designed for those who have a duty to respond to a cardiac emergency because of job responsibilities or regulatory requirements. It is also open to the general public.

HeartSaver AED (C)
This course teaches participants to recognize and treat emergencies such as cardiac arrest, heart attack, stroke and choking. The course is designed for those who have a duty to respond to a cardiac emergency because of job responsibilities or regulatory requirements. This course is also open to the general public.

Basic Life Support (BLS) for HealthCare Providers (C)
This course is designed for healthcare providers such as emergency medical services (EMS) personnel, physicians, dentists, nurses and respiratory therapists who need a credentialed course. This course is also open to first responders who have a duty to respond to a cardiac emergency because of job responsibilities or regulatory requirements.

Automatic External Defibrillator (AED)
Even non-medical personnel can use an AED, a machine that can monitor heart rhythms. It can tell if the heart has stopped beating effectively. If required, the machine can deliver an electric shock to the heart to re-establish an effective heart rhythm.

For more information or to arrange an interview, please visit our [ contact ] section for communications by email or telephone.