Heart Health Risks of Living the High-Rise Building Life

Yikes! The National Post just put out a new story on the heart risks of living the high-rise life.

Living above the third-floor drastically reduces your chances of surviving cardiac arrest, study suggests.

That is certainly something to consider and also something that many people probably do not!

Here is an image taken from the original article that shows just how drastic the survival rate can be if you reside in a high-rise building. It explains the fall in survival. “Locked front doors, missing concierges and agonizingly slow elevator times are contributing to some of the more obvious delays. But the odd elevator doesn’t even fit stretchers, said lead author Ian Drennan, a paramedic with York Region’s paramedic services and a researcher with Rescu, based at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. “So then you’re regulated to the stairs.”

We encourage you to read the full article here!

Wondering what you can do to increase your safety and preparedness? An AED is a life-saving device that is used during a cardiac arrest emergency! Simply having an AED present DOUBLES the chances of survival! Talk to your high-rise building manager about installing an AED in your high-rise building.

In Canada, heart disease accounts for 27% of deaths, about 66,000 annually. Reduce the chance of cardiovascular disease and increase life expectancy by eating healthy, exercising, and taking care of your body, and leave bad habits like smoking and abundant alcohol consumption in the past. Heart disease can not only be prevented but also reduced by healthy choices and healthy behaviours.