The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is dedicated to bringing you the latest news and developments in sudden cardiac arrest prevention and treatment.
Take a Step for Survival
Register for the Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community. Virtual walkers welcome. PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- Now is the time to register to join the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation Team at the Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community on Saturday May 21 in downtown Pittsburgh. By walking with our team--or walking alongside our team virtually--you will not… Read More
SCA Foundation Speaks Out on FDA Actions in The New York Times
"If regulatory hurdles increase, public access to AEDs will decrease," said Mary Newman, president of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, in a letter that was published in The New York Times on February 3. "That would be devastating news for the 295,000 people who suffer sudden death outside hospitals each year— and a giant step backward in the… Read More
Study: A Minority of Individuals Knows About AEDs and Would be Willing to Use One
Researchers Call for Widespread Information CampaignsAMSTERDAM, The Netherlands--Less than half (47%) of the people in a public place who have access to an automated external defibrillator (AED) would be willing to use it, according to Dutch researchers who surveyed 1,018 people from 38 nations. More than half (53%) were unable to recognize the… Read More
Study: AED Placement in Public Settings More Beneficial than in Homes
The frequency of shockable heart rhythms (ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia) as the initial recorded rhythm is lower among patients with witnessed cardiac arrests in the home than among those with witnessed arrests in a public setting, according to a study by the Research Outcomes Consortium recently published in the… Read More
FDA Panel Considers Classification of AEDs as High-Risk Devices
Action could reduce access to lifesaving devices GAITHERSBURG, Md - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Circulatory System Devices Panel met Tuesday to discuss and make recommendations regarding the regulatory classification of automated external defibrillators (AEDs). AEDs are used to resuscitate people who suffer sudden cardiac arrest (SCA)… Read More
Study Shows Inappropriate ICD Shocks Increase Mortality
Leiden, the Netherlands - A retrospective, single-center experience supports post hoc analyses of two major randomized trials in finding that inappropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) shocks increase all cause mortality. Moreover, the risk increased the more inappropriate shocks patients experienced, according to the analysis of… Read More
Chest Compression-Decompression Devices Boost Survival in Trial
Roseville, MN - A pair of devices for assisting paramedics performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest can raise the patient's chances of discharge with good neurologic function, suggests a randomized trial published this week [1]. One of the devices (ResQPump, Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Santa Clara, CA… Read More
San Ramon Fire Department Launches App to Help Save Lives
SAN RAMON, CA – In the spirit of “Gov 2.0” the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District (SRVFPD) announced the release of an innovative new location-aware iPhone application today. The new app empowers everyday citizens to provide life-saving assistance to victims of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). Application users who have indicated they are… Read More
My Life Has Changed a Lot
Raymond White, Kearney, NE – 45 at time of event (2009) [Raymond has no recollection of his SCA event and is reliant upon his wife for the following details] On November 6th, 2009 my husband suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. We got up as usual, had coffee, and planned to go out to eat breakfast. We had gone upstairs to get dressed when I heard… Read More