Cardiac arrest rates climbing during COVID-19 pandemic, Peel paramedics say

Cardiac arrest rates have spiked worldwide during the pandemic, a Toronto medical researcher says, and paramedics in Peel Region say they areseeing that sametrend play out close to home.

"Cardiac arrest numbers were up 19 per centin the first threemonths of the pandemic" compared to the previous year, saidPaul Snobelen, the community programs specialist forPeel Regional Paramedic Services.

Katie Allen, who isresearching the problem of sudden cardiac arrestat St. Michael's Hospital, saidconcerns aboutcatching COVID-19 in hospitalare keepingpatientsin distress from seeking help.

"They're staying at home for longer," she said.

"More of them are having this cardiac arrest at home andby the time the paramedics get there, it's too late. "

Allan saidsurvival rates drop 10 per cent a minute during the first 10 minutes if nothing is done to get a patient's heart started again.

"Now more than ever, I think it's really important for people to learn how to recognize and how to help someone who's having an emergency, but also know what steps they can take."

Those steps include performing chest compressions.

Raychel Gillisperformed CPR and used a defibrillatorat 17 to save a life at an arena inEast Gwillimburywhen the goalie collapsed during her father's hockey game.

"I think honestly, I think everyone needs to know how to do it.".