Women experiencing cardiac arrest are half as likely to receive defibrillation from bystanders than men, with researchers linking this gap to people’s discomfort touching breasts.
New research from the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and Ambulance Victoria found that 5 per cent of women who had a cardiac arrest in 2020-21 received defibrillation from a bystander, compared with 10 per cent of men.
This gap has been growing since 2010, potentially reducing the survival rates for women whose hearts have stopped.
“Defibrillation doubles your chance of survival,” said lead researcher and cardiologist Dr Liz Paratz.
