The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is dedicated to bringing you the latest news and developments in sudden cardiac arrest prevention and treatment.
New AI tool beats standard approaches for detecting heart attacks
A new machine learning model uses electrocardiogram (ECG) readings to diagnose and classify heart attacks faster and more accurately than current approaches, according to a study led by University of Pittsburgh researchers that published today in Nature Medicine. “When a patient comes into the hospital with chest pain, the first question we ask… Read More
‘Pray’ and ‘hope’: Assessing social media response to Damar Hamlin’s sudden cardiac arrest
Key takeaways: Twitter posts after the collapse of athlete Damar Hamlin frequently included the words “pray” and “hope.” There were fewer posts that referenced CPR and the use of automated external defibrillators. An analysis of social media reactions after the televised collapse of Damar Hamlin suggests many people do not see an active role… Read More
Wider access to health insurance via Medicaid expansion improved cardiac care
Expanding health insurance access may lessen the toll of heart disease in the U.S., suggests a new analysis published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes Research Highlights: States that participated in the Medicaid expansion provision of the Affordable Care Act, raising the income level to be eligible for Medicaid up to 138%… Read More
Association of Black Cardiologists issues statement on Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin's return to the NFL
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- On behalf of the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC), we extend our heartfelt well wishes and unwavering support to National Football League (NFL) player Damar Hamlin, who experienced a sudden cardiac event early this year. We recognize the gravity of this event and its impact on him, the NFL community, the country, and… Read More
Post-traumatic stress disorder affects more than one in ten cardiac device patients
Nearly one-third of patients with an implanted device to prevent sudden death have anxiety in the first year while depression affects one in five. That’s the finding of a study published today in EP Europace, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1 “Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are effective at extending patients… Read More
Athletes' role in reducing sudden cardiac death
Although rare, a sports-related sudden cardiac arrest (SrSCA) and/or sudden cardiac death (SCD) in an athlete is a devastating, heart-breaking event with significant emotional and societal impact. Male athletes appear to have an incidence of SCD up to fivefold higher than their female counterparts,2 more than observed in the general population.3 … Read More
How to save a life: Learn to recognize sudden cardiac arrest in athletes
This two-minute video on the recognition of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in athletes features a compilation of real-life cases of SCA in an athlete. The footage shows the actual collapse and SCA event of professional athletes (Damar Hamlin, Marc-Vivien Foé, and Christian Eriksen), a college athlete (Keyontae Johnson), and several high school (… Read More
Resuscitation after on-field cardiac arrest should start with teammates
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- It is well known that early resuscitation with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and an automated external defibrillator (AED) saves lives, and in most sports-related sudden cardiac arrest events, trainers or medical personnel respond and initiate protocols to resuscitate a player while other athletes standby. However, time… Read More
Research presented at Care of the Athletic Heart examines need of CPR/AED training for athletes
Only 50% of athletes surveyed reported knowing what is sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), along with just 7.7% being concerned about it during play, according to a new study presented at ACC’s Care of the Athletic Heart 2023 course taking place June 8-10 in Washington, DC, and virtually. To identify the incidence of fellow athletes responding to SCA… Read More