Hands For Life 2015 Names David Lorenz, MD, FACC, Honorary Chairman

Norwalk Hospital, in collaboration with the Westport Weston Wilton Medical Reserve Corps, Westport, Weston and Wilton EMS, Westport Family YMCA, Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, and CERT will present “Hands For Life Westport Weston Wilton,” a free, tri-town community-wide Hands-Only CPR™ and AED training event on Sunday, May 3, at the Westport YMCA from 10am to 4pm. David Lorenz, MD, FACC, an interventional cardiologist and Director of the Cardiac and Vascular Laboratory at Norwalk Hospital and an Executive Partner of Cardiology Physicians of Fairfield County, LLC (CPFC) has been named honorary chairman of the event.

The American Heart Association has recommended Hands-Only CPR for adults since 2008.

Hands-Only CPR (CPR with just chest compressions) has been proven to be as effective as CPR with breaths in treating adult cardiac arrest victims. Effective bystander CPR provided immediately after sudden cardiac arrest can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival.

The training process only takes 15 minutes, but will empower community members to take action when someone is experiencing cardiac arrest and help save lives. No advanced registration is required.

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Lorenz involved with the Hands For Life Westport Weston Wilton 2015 event,” Nancy Capelle, Wilton Volunteer Ambulance Corps member and event chairperson, said. “With his support and expertise, we hope to provide as many community members as possible with the confidence and skills to recognize and act when someone is suffering cardiac arrest. Administering Hands-Only CPR helps maintain blood flow to vital organs until help arrives and therefore, increases chances of survival.”

Dr. Lorenz is affiliated with Norwalk Hospital, St Vincent’s Medical Center and Stamford Hospital Health System. He is a graduate of Georgetown University Medical School and completed his residency at Stanford University Medical School and Interventional Cardiology fellowship at Harvard Medical School. He is Board Certified in Cardiology, Interventional Cardiology, Vascular Medicine, and Endovascular Medicine.

“I am looking forward to the Hands For Life event,” said Dr. Lorenz. “Bystander intervention with CPR and an AED within the first four minutes of someone going into cardiac arrest is critical. Hands-Only CPR is effective, easy to do and gives victims of cardiac arrest the best chance at survival.”

•       Each year 359,400 Americans suffer sudden cardiac arrest
•       Each year 325,257 Americans die from sudden cardiac arrest
•       Equivalent loss of life: 4 Boeing 747 aircrafts crashing & killing everyone on board each day of the year!
•       Less than one in four receives CPR from a bystander, and only about 7 percent of cardiac arrest victims survive.
•       Survival rates fall 10 percent each minute without CPR before emergency medical assistance.
•       Experts agree that if more people knew how to recognize cardiac arrest and how to provide effective, simple-to-apply Hands-Only CPR, more victims could be helped in
•       Sadly, most adults feel helpless to act during a cardiac emergency because they do not know to recognize cardiac arrest, administer CPR, do not feel confident in their skills or are afraid.

More information: www.HandsForLife.Org or contact Hands for Life Westport Weston Wilton Committee Chairperson Nancy Capelle at 203-216-1509 or nancy@cardiaccompanion.com.