SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mary Edly-Allen, along with the members of the Illinois Senate Women’s Caucus, participated in a CPR training course led by Illinois Heart Rescue and the American Heart Association Thursday.

According to the American Heart Association, about 90% of people who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests die, making it important for the general public to learn how to perform hands-only CPR.

“For far too long, CPR training has only included male mannequins, perpetuating the stigma against giving CPR to women,” said Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville). ”This training was vital because it highlighted the importance of looking out for cardiac arrest symptoms in women – not just men.”

Statistics show that women are less likely to receive bystander CPR. From 2021-2022, 19% of men in Illinois who were experiencing cardiac arrest received CPR from a bystander, compared to just 9% of women. Overall, men were 1.23 times more likely to receive bystander CPR in public settings, and their odds of survival were 23% better than women’s.

The American Heart Association explained that women’s heart attack symptoms frequently differ than men’s and therefore tend to go without the proper medical attention needed. Some women may appear to have acid reflux or the flu, when they are experiencing symptoms of heart troubles that could lead to an attack.

Women may exhibit jaw pain, back pain, shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting along with chest pain while having a heart attack. These differences may make it easy for a woman’s heart attack to go undetected, thereby contributing to the lower rate of CPR administration on women versus men.

“It’s disheartening that women are less likely to receive bystander CPR but by raising awareness, we can ensure that women are no longer forgotten,” said Edly-Allen. “I encourage people to not only learn CPR, but to know the signs of cardiac arrest to look for in both men and women.”

The Illinois Senate Women’s Caucus is encouraging all Illinoisans to learn CPR. For more information about Hands-Only CPR and how you can save a life, visit www.Heart.org/HandsOnlyCPR. To find a CPR class near you, visit www.Heart.org/CPR.