Th-thump … th-thump … th-thump. The sound of a heartbeat. It’s something everyone has and no one can live without.

American Heart Month is here once again, and with this year’s theme being “Be Prepared for Cardiac Emergencies,” special effort is being made to make people aware of the occurrences of cardiac arrests. According to the American Medical Association, factors leading to a risk of heart disease include: age, gender, heredity, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, physical inactivity, obesity, diabetes, stress and depression.

The AMA suggested three important points to be aware of in case of a cardiac arrest:

1. Know the signs of cardiac arrest in order to recognize a medical emergency when it occurs. Cardiac arrest can happen suddenly and dramatically. When the heart goes into cardiac arrest, the heart’s electrical impulses become chaotic. This irregular heart rhythm, called ventricular fibrillation, causes the heart to stop suddenly. During cardiac arrest, a victim loses consciousness, stops normal breathing and loses pulse and blood pressure. Cardiac arrest can be caused by several factors, including heart attack, electrocution, drowning, trauma or it can have no known cause.

2. Call 911 immediately to access the emergency medical system upon recognizing any cardiac arrest signs.

3. Give cardiopulmonary resuscitation. CPR can help keep the cardiac arrest victim alive until emergency help arrives. CPR also maintains the vital blood flow to the heart and brain and helps sustain the victim until defibrillation (electric shock to the heart) can be administered.

Also, in commemoration of American Heart Month, Ann McKanna, vice president of marketing at Heartland Blood Centers, said the drives this month have taken on the theme of the CBS TV show “Survivor.” The idea of this is to see which team of collectors can obtain the most donations.

“We update each team every week to see where they’re at,” McKanna said. “At the end of the month, the four teams with the most donations win. With February being American Heart Month, there couldn’t be a better way to celebrate.”

McKanna said Heartland’s joint venture with the AHA is a good way to help make people more aware of the heart’s importance.

Congress proclaimed February as American Heart Month in 1963. According to the American Heart Association, the significance of American Heart Month lies in recognition of ongoing efforts made by health organizations to reduce the deadly risks and results of heart disease and strokes.