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

Take it from 2 runners whose hearts stopped during the same race: A heart-healthy lifestyle is best

Michael and Danuta Heilemann were approaching the 3-mile mark of the Monterey Bay Half Marathon when they heard the siren. The noise kept getting louder, so they knew it was headed their way. The Heilemanns were still running when they saw an ambulance pull over ahead of them. Then they saw the reason paramedics were needed. A runner was on the… Read More

His heart stopped on a treadmill at the gym. His wife gave him CPR.

Mark Wangrin and his wife, Barbara, put on their athletic gear and drove to their Austin, Texas, fitness center for an early morning Sunday workout. Mark hopped on treadmill No. 1. Barbara climbed onto a nearby rower. Then she switched to weights. While running, Mark glanced at the digital board in the front of the room that tracked people's… Read More

Can smart watches and other fitness and wellness trackers do more harm than good for some people? 

Certain wearable gadgets have the potential to interfere with pacemakers and other implanted cardiac electronic devices, according to a new study in Heart Rhythm  PHILADELPHIA--In recent years, wearable devices such as smart watches and rings, as well as smart scales, have become ubiquitous – “must-haves” for the health conscious to self-monitor… Read More

Medtronic receives CE Mark for extravascular defibrillator system that treats abnormal heart rhythms

DUBLIN -- Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT) has received CE (Conformité Européenne) Mark for the Aurora EV-ICD™ MRI SureScan™ (Extravascular Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator) and Epsila EV™ MRI SureScan™ defibrillation lead to treat dangerously fast heart rhythms that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest. The Aurora EV-ICD system provides the life-… Read More

CPR: A gift of minutes that could extend a lifetime

A person's chance of surviving cardiac arrest is significantly higher if a bystander calls 911 and applies chest compressions. In a hospital conference room, Dr. Peter Kudenchuk is on his knees as he demonstrates forceful chest compressions on “Annie,” a CPR manikin. “One and two and three and four,” he calls out repeatedly, maintaining a cadence… Read More

Dr. Leonard Cobb, co-founder of Medic One program, dies

The emergency medical response service, one of the nation's first, started with outreach by Dr. Cobb to the Seattle Fire Department.  Dr. Leonard Cobb, 96, a co-founder of the Seattle Medic One paramedic program, died Feb. 14, 2023. He was a luminary in the field of pre-hospital care of people with cardiac disease.  In 1968, Dr. Cobb was chief… Read More

Franklin & Connolly introduce the Cardiac Arrest Survival Act

WASHINGTON--Reps. Scott Franklin (FL-18) and Gerry Connolly (VA-11) today introduced the Cardiac Arrest Survival Act. This bipartisan bill would save lives by establishing a uniform base of liability protection for businesses that acquire automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and the good Samaritans who use them. AEDs are used to assist victims… Read More

Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest fuels resurgence of lifesaving Call-Push-Shock movement

The day Damar Hamlin died from sudden cardiac arrest during Monday night football on January 2—and then was successfully resuscitated—may herald a new era of enlightenment. The quest of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, Parent Heart Watch, and other like-minded organizations to increase awareness of this public health crisis and the vital… Read More

AI supports doctors’ hard decisions on cardiac arrest

When patients receive care after cardiac arrest, doctors can now — by entering patient data in a web-based app — find out how thousands of similar patients have fared. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have developed three such systems of decision support for cardiac arrest that may, in the future, make a major difference to doctors’… Read More

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: NHLBI studies tackle deadly public health problem

Recovery of NFL football player highlights importance of resuscitation research and CPR The sudden cardiac arrest of NFL football player Damar Hamlin during a televised game in early January shocked the nation, but his recovery following emergency resuscitation efforts administered on the field did something more: it showed how critical – and… Read More