Why CPR Isn’t Enough: Why Every Organization Needs an AED On-Site
When someone collapses from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), the clock starts immediately. Every minute without defibrillation reduces a person’s chance of survival by 7–10%. Cardiologists, EMS, and the American Heart Association agree: CPR alone is not enough.
To truly save a life, communities need CPR and an AED working together before EMS arrives.
🫀 Doing Nothing: Survival Rates Drop to Almost Zero
If no action is taken — no CPR, no AED — the survival rate from sudden cardiac arrest is often less than 5%.
SCA is not the same as a heart attack. In most cases, the heart goes into ventricular fibrillation (V-Fib), an electrical storm where the heart quivers instead of pumping. Chest compressions alone cannot stop V-Fib.
Without intervention, the heart will not reset on its own.
🖐️ CPR Only: Helps—but Often Isn’t Enough to Survive
When CPR is started quickly, survival rises to around 10–20%.
CPR keeps blood moving to the brain and organs, buying valuable time until a defibrillator arrives. But CPR cannot correct the electrical problem causing the cardiac arrest.
Think of CPR as “holding the line.”
It keeps the person alive long enough for the real lifesaving treatment—defibrillation.
⚡ CPR + AED Use Before EMS: Survival Rates Skyrocket
When CPR and an AED are used before EMS arrives, survival rates jump dramatically to 50–70%, depending on how quickly the shock is delivered.
Why such a huge difference?
Because defibrillation is the ONLY way to stop V-Fib and allow the heart to restart a normal rhythm.
When an AED is applied within the first 3 minutes, survival can exceed 70%.
This is why airports, gyms, schools, and corporate offices with AEDs see dramatically higher survival outcomes.
🚑 Why You Can’t Wait for EMS
Even in the best response areas, EMS typically arrives in 6–10 minutes.
By that time, survival without early defibrillation is extremely low. A 3–5 minute gap between collapse and first AED shock is often the difference between life and death.
🏢 What This Means for Employers & Community Organizations
Every workplace, nonprofit, school, and public space should have:
A readily accessible AED
Staff trained in CPR and AED use
A plan for emergencies
AEDs are simple:
They talk you through every step, analyze the heart rhythm automatically, and only deliver a shock if needed.
Most importantly—they save lives long before EMS arrives.
❤️ The Bottom Line
Doing nothing: ~5% survival
CPR only: ~10–20% survival
CPR + AED before EMS: ~50–70% survival
The evidence is overwhelming.
An AED isn’t a luxury. It’s a lifesaving necessity.
If your organization wants to protect employees, customers, or community members, the most powerful tool you can invest in is an AED—and the training to use it confidently.
