Understanding sudden cardiac arrest statistics helps explain why AEDs are critical for saving lives. Here are the numbers every facility manager should know.

The Scope of Sudden Cardiac Arrest

National Statistics

• 356,000+ cardiac arrests occur outside hospitals annually in the US
• 90% are fatal without immediate intervention
• Only 10% of victims survive without immediate defibrillation
• 70%+ can survive when AED is used within 3-5 minutes

Who's at Risk?

• Cardiac arrest affects people of all ages
• 7,000+ youth (age 18 and under) die from sudden cardiac arrest each year
• 1 in 3 cardiac arrests occur during physical activity
• About 1 in 4 cardiac arrest victims have no prior symptoms

The Critical Time Factor

Survival Rate by Time to Defibrillation

• Within 1 minute: 90% survival rate
• Within 3 minutes: 70% survival rate
• Within 5 minutes: 50% survival rate
• Within 7 minutes: 30% survival rate
• Within 10 minutes: 10% survival rate

Key insight: For every minute without defibrillation, survival chances drop by 10%.

Average EMS Response Times

• Urban areas: 8-12 minutes
• Suburban areas: 10-15 minutes
• Rural areas: 15-20+ minutes

By the time EMS arrives, it's often too late. This is why on-site AEDs are critical.

Workplace Cardiac Arrest Statistics

Incidents by Industry

• Manufacturing: 15% of workplace cardiac arrests
• Construction: 12%
• Retail: 11%
• Healthcare: 10%
• Education: 8%
• Office/Professional: 7%

Economic Impact

• Estimated $33 billion annual cost to US economy
• Average cost per cardiac arrest: $500,000 - $1 million
• Workplace liability claims can exceed $10 million

Sports and Athletic Statistics

Student Athletes

• Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in student athletes
• 1 in 50,000 to 1 in 80,000 student athletes experience cardiac arrest annually
• Basketball players have the highest risk (rate: 1 in 3,100)
• Survival rate is 90%+ when AED is used immediately

Fitness Facilities

• 1 cardiac arrest per 2.5 years at average health club
• 71% of health club cardiac arrests are survived when AED is available
• Only 11% survive when no AED is present

Public Access Defibrillation Success Stories

Airports

• Chicago O'Hare: 60% survival rate with PAD program
• Pre-PAD program: 0% survival rate

Casinos

• Las Vegas casinos with AEDs: 56% survival rate
• National average without AEDs: 5% survival rate

Airlines

• In-flight cardiac arrest survival rate: 45% with onboard AEDs
• Pre-AED era survival rate: 20%

Age and Demographics

Cardiac Arrest by Age Group

• Under 35: 7,000 deaths annually
• 35-44: 15,000 deaths annually
• 45-64: 130,000 deaths annually
• 65+: 200,000 deaths annually

Men vs Women

• Men: 2-3x more likely to experience cardiac arrest
• Women: Lower overall risk but higher mortality when it occurs
• Women are less likely to receive bystander CPR (research shows bias)

State-by-State Survival Rates

States with strong PAD programs and AED legislation have significantly higher survival rates:

• Washington: 62% survival rate (strong PAD program)
• North Carolina: 58% survival rate
• Michigan: 52% survival rate
• National average: 10% survival rate

The Impact of Bystander Response

CPR Statistics

• 46% of cardiac arrest victims receive bystander CPR
• Immediate CPR doubles or triples survival chances
• CPR + AED within 3-5 minutes: 70%+ survival rate

AED Use by Bystanders

• Only 12% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests receive bystander AED use
• When AED is used by bystander: 70% survival rate
• When AED is not used: 5% survival rate

The gap: More AEDs are needed in public spaces, and more people need to know how to use them.

Return on Investment

Cost-Benefit Analysis

• Average cost of AED program: $2,500 - $5,000
• Cost per life saved: $30,000 - $60,000
• Compare to: Median cost of critical care hospitalization: $500,000
• Value of a human life (EPA estimate): $10 million

What These Statistics Mean for Your Facility

Calculate Your Risk

Use this formula to estimate your facility's annual cardiac arrest risk:

(Number of people on-site daily × 365 days) ÷ 125,000

Example: A workplace with 200 daily occupants has an estimated cardiac arrest event every 1.7 years.

Take Action

The statistics are clear: AEDs save lives. Every facility should have an AED program.

Start Your AED Program

Sources

• American Heart Association
• Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation
• CDC WONDER Database
• OSHA Guidelines
• National Athletic Trainers' Association