Parent Heart Watch Launches New Strategic Vision

Philadelphia, PA, February 16, 2016 (Newswire.com) - The Parent Heart Watch (PHW) Board of Directors recently announced their new strategic vision at the PHW 11th Annual National Conference in Orlando – to eliminate preventable deaths from sudden cardiac arrest in children and youth by 2030. 

According to PHW Executive Director Michele Snyder, there are measures that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).  “We need to better educate parents and communities that through early detection of heart conditions and better preparation, SCA can often be prevented,” said Snyder. 

We need to better educate parents and communities that through early detection of heart conditions and better preparation, SCA can often be prevented.

Michele Snyder, Executive Director

Early detection means screening children with a physical examination, personal and family history, and an electrocardiogram (ECG).  Currently, 49 PHW member organizations in 29 states offer free or affordable heart screenings that include an electrocardiogram (ECG) and/or echocardiogram. Being prepared includes having a written and well-practiced cardiac emergency response plan, operational automated external defibrillators (AEDs) wherever kids congregate, in addition to people trained in CPR and AED use.

PHW has laid out a road map with key goals over the next 15 years. These include, but are not limited to:

·       Increasing public knowledge about the prevention of SCA and the importance of having CPR/AED skills

·       Having properly maintained AEDs publicly accessible at all schools, sporting events/practices and youth serving organizations everywhere youth congregate

·       Collecting data on the incidence of sudden cardiac arrest and death

·       Involving the medical and academic communities

To learn more visit www.parentheartwatch.org.