Where you live in Toronto can put you at cardiac arrest risk (Canada)

Residents of certain Toronto neighbourhoods have a significantly higher risk of cardiac arrest, according to new research from St. Michael's Hospital. The study found those living in southwest and central Scarborough, western parts of North York and north Etobicoke had the highest rates of cardiac arrest, at about 500 per 100,000 residents. The lowest rates were found in north Scarborough, downtown Toronto, East York and the northeast part of North York at about 160 per 100,000 residents. "The risk for cardiac arrest varied widely from one area to another regardless of how close they were to each other on a map," Katherine Allan, a PhD student and the lead researcher for the study, said in a press release. Researchers said neighbourhoods with higher household incomes and higher levels of education had a lower risk of cardiac arrest. The study consisted of 5,656 participants, aged 20 and up, who experienced an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Toronto from 2006 to 2010. Previous studies measured where the cardiac arrests took place, not where the person having the cardiac arrest lived

MIKEY on the GO

"GO Transit, in partnership with The Mikey Network and the Toronto EMS Cardiac Safe City program, will help "The Beat Go On" by introducing defibrillators on board GO Trains and at stations. This partnership will place public-access defibrillators, called MIKEYs, across Go Transit's extensive network. The use of a defibrillator may save the life of a person whose heart has stopped beating" - The Star