The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is dedicated to bringing you the latest news and developments in sudden cardiac arrest prevention and treatment.
Sudden cardiac arrest vs. heart attack: Public confusion is putting thousands of lives at risk
The blurring of sudden cardiac arrest and heart attack may be contributing to unintentional consumer apathy with deadly consequences. Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) affects about 1,000 people each day in the U.S. and only 1 in 10 victims survives.[1] It is a public health crisis. It’s a common misconception that SCA and heart attack are one and… Read More
Slow, steady increase in exercise intensity is best for heart health
DALLAS, TX -- For most people, the benefits of aerobic exercise far outweigh the risks, however, extreme endurance exercise - such as participation in marathons and triathlons for people who aren't accustomed to high-intensity exercise - can raise the risk of sudden cardiac arrest, atrial fibrillation (a heart rhythm disorder) or heart attacks,… Read More
Race, income in neighborhoods tied to cardiac arrest survival
Socioeconomics might impact the chance of surviving a cardiac arrest, suggests a new study that found survival rates are lower in heavily black than in heavily white neighborhoods, and in low- and middle-income areas compared with wealthy ones. More than 350,000 people each year in the U.S. have out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, when the heart's… Read More
Can a phone call help restart the heart?
When the heart suddenly stops beating, each passing moment can mean life or death. That is why emergency health providers and advocates are urging states to develop uniform standards and training for telecommunicator CPR. A new policy statement from an American Heart Association task force lays out steps for a widespread system for 911… Read More
U of M Twin Cities, Helmsley Charitable Trust and health care system partners aim to increase cardiac arrest survival rates
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL, MN -- Today, the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust and health care systems across the Twin Cities, announce the creation of the Minnesota Mobile Resuscitation Consortium (MMRC) and its mobile extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) vehicles. This is a collaborative… Read More
State AED legislation update
The following is a summary of current AED (Automated External Defibrillator) legislation in the United States. Bills seeing movement so far this year Virginia SB 394: This bill, which would require health clubs to have an AED, passed the full senate 34-0 on January 24th. It now goes to the house for consideration. Massachusetts S.1403: This… Read More
Sudden cardiac arrest often a woman's first sign of heart disease
New research from the Smidt Heart Institute says women at risk for cardiovascular disease must be better identified New research from the Center for Cardiac Arrest Prevention at the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai shows that rates of sudden cardiac arrest are rising following decades of a downward trend. While this disturbing uptick was… Read More
Take care of your heart today
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Valentine's Day is a great reminder to prioritize heart health and recognize the signs of an emergency, according to the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). One of the most common reasons people visit the emergency department, chest pain can take a variety of forms and is not always associated with a heart issue… Read More
How to survive a sudden cardiac arrest: A caregiver’s experience
“The human ego prefers anything, just about anything, to falling, or changing, or dying. The ego is that part of you that loves the status quo – even when it's not working. It attaches to past and present and fears the future.” ― Richard Rohr, Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life The day before the Labor Day holiday was… Read More