I am considering also bringing an AED along with us, because of all the old farts!
The American Heart Association has documented that a victim of SCA (sudden cardiac arrest) will collapse often suddenly because their heart has stopped beating. There is a 5 minute window from collapse to shock that must occur in order for the victim to survive the event.
laugh, joke, or whatever makes you all feel better. It is something not taken lightly especially in the back country off the beaten path.
With regard to emergency trauma care, a few minutes can mean the difference between life and death. This first hour of definitive medical care is called the “golden hour.” It is usually this first hour where the patient’s medical fate is sealed. In general, the faster that medical care is rendered, the better the medical outcome will be.
The old adage that all bleeding stops at sometime is true. In a traumatic situation, you would hope that the bleeding has stopped because of an emergent intervention by the emergency physician or a trauma surgeon. The other way that bleeding stops is when the patient runs out of blood, which is obviously not the ideal outcome.
The golden hour is not just limited to traumatic emergency situations. This first hour of emergent medical care is also very important in situations such as heart attack or stroke, where time is heart muscle or brain tissue. Emergent medical interventions can have a profound impact on a patient’s survival and ultimate ability to function. Not all hospitals have the ability to offer definitive medical care. For patients who arrive at an emergency department that is unable to provide the emergent medial care that is needed, the transfer process will begin. The time that is wasted during the transfer process can lead to disaster.
And being out in the boonies it could take an hour before emergency services could reach the location. Just something for you all to think about..
