The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is dedicated to bringing you the latest news and developments in sudden cardiac arrest prevention and treatment.

Research Uncovers Potential Therapy to Prevent Arrhythmias, Sudden Cardiac Death After Heart Attack

Study shows nerve regeneration therapy provides resistance to the development of dangerous heart rhythms following a heart attack PORTLAND, OR-- A therapy currently under development for spinal cord injuries has been shown to stimulate nerve regeneration in the heart and provide resistance to arrhythmias following a heart attack, according to a… Read More

Webinar on FDA Automated External Defibrillators Final Order - February 5

Summary: On January 28, 2015, the FDA issued a final order that required manufacturers of automated external defibrillators to submit premarket approval applications (PMAs) in order to market their products. This action requires a more rigorous review of these devices, which will ultimately help improve their reliability. In addition, the FDA will… Read More

Federal Register: Effective Date of Requirement for Premarket Approval for AED Systems

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or the Agency) is issuing a final order to require the filing of premarket approval applications (PMA) for automated external defibrillator (AED) systems, which consist of an AED and those AED accessories necessary for the AED to detect and interpret an electrocardiogram and deliver an electrical shock (e.g., … Read More

FDA Takes Steps to Improve Reliability of Automated External Defibrillators

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that it will strengthen its review of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to help improve the quality and reliability of these devices. The FDA issued a final order that will require AED manufacturers to submit premarket approval applications (PMAs), which undergo a more rigorous review… Read More

Sudden Cardiac Arrest, A Public Health Crisis, Affects Nearly 1,000 People Each Day in the U.S.

The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation highlights information from a new report indicating that 326,200 people experience sudden cardiac arrest outside hospitals annually in the U.S., including thousands of children. On average, only one in 10 victims survives; when bystanders witness the emergency, however, one in three victims survives. PITTSBURGH… Read More

SCA Survivor Fashion Show Set for Mall of America

The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is inviting female sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) survivors who live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area to participate in a Feb. 7 fashion show at the Mall of America. "We are looking for women who would be willing to put a face on heart disease/sudden cardiac arrest," the foundation stated in a Jan. 6 tweet that… Read More

The Role of Screening for Sudden Cardiac Death in Young Competitive Athletes: A Critical Review

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the leading medical cause of death in athletes. In a new article published in Current Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Reports, Irfan Asif, MD, of the Greenville TN Health System and Kimberly Harmon, MD, of the University of Washington, present a review of the literature on screening for sudden cardiac death in… Read More

Mason-led Research Team Unveils Unprecedented Study on Sports Physicals for Young Athletes

FAIRFAX, VA--A team led by George Mason University researchers says not enough is being done uniformly across the United States to ensure the safety of children when it comes to detecting cardiac and other health conditions through sports physicals. Shane Caswell, PhD, of the College of Education and Human Development’s School of Recreation,… Read More

Why Do Only Some People with Hereditary Heart Disease Experience Symptoms?

MAYWOOD, IL--As many as 500,000 people in the United States have a heritable and potentially fatal heart disease called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The disease can cause irregular heartbeats, heart valve problems, heart failure and, in rare cases, sudden cardiac death in young people. But some people who carry gene mutations that cause… Read More

AHA Releases 2015 Heart and Stroke Statistics

New report suggests the incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is 326,200. The average survival rate is 10.6% and survival with good neurologic function is 8.3%. Nearly one in three victims survives when the arrest is witnessed by a bystander.  DALLAS, TX--For the first time in the 50 years that the American Heart Association/ American… Read More