A life-threatening emergency can happen at any time. And for most, the situation can be overwhelming. Heart disease is the second leading cause of death in Canada, and Cassandra Label, an instructor with St. Johns Ambulance says the chances of having a heart attack increases over the holidays. “It's a stressful time,” says Label. “People are coming together, there's a lot more travel, there's a lot less sleep (and) there's more eating, more drinking.” Lifesaving courses with St. John Ambulance are taught every week, teaching those in attendance how to identify symptoms including choking and the signs of a stroke. As a result over the past fifty years, lifesaving courses have resulted in fewer people dying after suffering a heart attack. According to a student in attendance, the training could one day result in extra time for a loved one. “My immediate family has some health issues,” said Taylor Tye. “Being able to provide immediate and necessary care is important.” Officials with St. Johns Ambulance in Canada say women are 16 per cent more likely to die from a heart attack than a man due to many not realizing the different symptoms. “Women will more often describe the pain in the jaw,” said Lebel, “Through the throat and down across the chest.” In the early 1950s, 30 per cent of patients who had suffered a heart attack did not survive. Today, with advancements in medicine and a better-educated public, that number has shrunk to five per cent.
