Before Thursday night’s 4–2 Bruins win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, the American Heart Association shared an important message with NESN viewers: learning CPR can save lives.
Dr. Jennifer Cluett, the president of the American Heart Association’s Board of Directors in Boston, joined NESN’s Sophia Jurksztowicz to discuss Hands-Only CPR, high blood pressure control, and local efforts to strengthen heart health across Greater Boston.
During the segment, Dr. Cluett, director of the Complex Hypertension Clinic at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, discussed why learning Hands-Only CPR is so critical. Each year, more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of hospitals in the United States, and immediate CPR can double or even triple a person’s chance of survival. Yet many bystanders hesitate because they feel unprepared, a gap the American Heart Association is working to close with the message that in a cardiac emergency, you are the first responder until help arrives.
Dr. Cluett and Jurksztowicz also talked about preventing heart disease before emergencies happen. High blood pressure — often called the “silent killer” — is a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke. In Massachusetts, the American Heart Association is working with health systems and community organizations to improve blood pressure control, provide take-home monitors, and offer free screenings.
The conversation also highlighted efforts to expand CPR education through innovative collaborations, including an interactive Hands-Only CPR kiosk at the Museum of Science in Boston, where visitors can learn and practice lifesaving skills in minutes. The kiosk is sponsored by Johnson & Johnson MedTech. In addition, Dr. Cluett discussed the Association’s advocacy to make CPR training a high school graduation requirement in Massachusetts.