May 6, 2008­–Sudden cardiac death can often be prevented with an implantable defibrillator in people known to be at high danger. These include survivors of a heart attack, people with severe heart failure, and certain rare genetic abnormalities of the heart's electrical system. But defibrillators can't be implanted in everybody who might die suddenly.

Who is most likely to suffer a sudden death? A recent study from Germany has raised serious doubts about the common assumption that sudden death most often strikes unexpectedly and at random in apparently healthy men.

May 6, 2008–Children should have their hearts checked before starting medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD), according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

The medications used to treat ADHD are stimulant medications that can get the heart rate and blood pressure racing. Between 1999 and 2004, 19 children taking ADHD medications have died suddenly. Others have had strokes, cardiac arrest and heart palpitations.

The AHA recommends children and adolescents be screened before taking medication, including getting an electro-cardiogram (ECGs). Any child already taking the medications should be tested.

 May 6, 2008­–RIDGEFIELD, CT–Ridgefield on Monday became the 20th town in the state of Connecticut to receive a HEARTSafe Community award. The award came from the state Department of Public Health, the Office of Emergency Medical Services, and the American Heart Association. It was presented to Fire Chief Heather Burford by Gary St. Amand, the state health department’s Health Program Associate in the Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program.

Jerry Vauk Jr., Austin, TX – 38 at the time of the event (2008)

Saturday morning, Jerry sets off to test the bike route to his new workplace, two miles from home. He never got there. He doesn’t know why. In fact he can’t even remember the Friday before. He’s lucky to be able to tell the story. So very lucky, now he’s a survivor of the nation’s number one killer. He had suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. He was found collapsed, under his bike, half on the sidewalk, half on the road.

Two men in a truck saw him and called 9-1-1. A nurse on her way to jazzercise class saw their truck blocking the lane and stopped to help administer CPR. No one else passed by while they waited for the emergency services.