Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), often misunderstood as a massive heart attack, is a treatable condition that does not have to lead to sudden death. When someone suffers SCA, he or she may be fine one minute and then collapse without warning the next. Without immediate intervention, the victim almost always dies. SCA is the leading cause of death in the U.S., affecting more people than breast cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, AIDS, traffic accidents, house fires and gunshot wounds combined. Only 6-7% survive SCA nationally--but 50% or more could survive. You can make the difference between life and death for someone you care about by knowing what to do and doing it quickly.

STEPS

June 27, 2008–Just one in 10 U.S. student-athletes who suffer sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) survives, a new study found.

SCA is the leading cause of death in young athletes and the leading overall cause of death in the United States. Approximately one SCA case occurs every three days in organized youth sports, according to background information with the study.

“Overall, there is pretty poor survival from sudden cardiac arrest in young people,” said study co-author Dr. Kimberly G. Harmon, of the University of Washington Department of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine.

But, there is a trend toward improved survival, Harmon said. “This is probably due to improved access to external automatic defibrillators (AEDs),” she said. “As we study this over the next several years, we are going to find that survival will improve as emergency plans and AEDs become more available and used.”

June 26, 2008­–PITTSBURGH, PA–Reports indicate that NBC journalist Tim Russert died from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) resulting from a heart attack. Russert’s sudden death may help save other lives by raising awareness about the critical importance of calling 911, giving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and using an automated external defibrillator (AED) immediately when SCA strikes.

“Perhaps Tim’s final gift to the nation was to raise awareness about sudden cardiac arrest and the simple actions anyone can take to save a life,” said Bobby V. Khan, MD, PhD, Board Chairman of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation and Assistant Professor of Medicine/Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.

About 1200 national and international CPR instructors, EMS providers and community champions attended the Emergency Cardiac Care Update (ECCU) in Las Vegas June 13-15th. We are thrilled to be hosting ECCU in Las Vegas, highlighting the latest science and education in CPR and AED use in a community that has led the nation in this approach, said Tom Aufderheide, MD, President of the Citizen CPR Foundation, which conducts the conference every two years. The survival rate from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in Las Vegas casinos is among the highest in the nation, thanks to prompt use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) by security guards.

The conference opened with a welcome from Honorable Oscar Goodman, Mayor of Las Vegas, followed by a keynote address by Mickey Eisenberg, MD, PhD, and Tom Rea, MD, MPH, of Seattle/King County: Improving the Odds of Cardiac Arrest Survival—Formula for Success.

Roman Matlaga - Winner of the SCA Foundation’s People Saving People™ Award

June 15, 2008–Las Vegas, NV–Roman Matlaga was recognized on Sunday, June 15—Father’s Day—as the winner of the SCA Foundation’s People Saving People™ Award during the Citizen CPR Foundation’s biennial conference, the Emergency Cardiac Care Update, in Las Vegas.

Roman Matlaga - Winner of the SCA Foundation’s People Saving People™ Award

 Many newspapers ran stories about the first annual National CPR/AED week. Congress set aside the first week in June to spotlight how lives can be saved if more Americans know CPR and how to use an AED (a defibrillator).

Now we have many stories of the tragedy of a high profile public figure struck down by cardiac arrest that may have been prevented through the availability and use of an AED. Details may be forthcoming, but the story so far is that Tim Russert did receive bystander CPR, but no defibrillation until the EMTs arrived some minutes after his collapse. This is all too common a situation and causes hundreds of deaths per day across the country.

Could Tim’s demise help us to save someone else? It’s all too easy, Call 9-1-1, and start CPR. Ask someone to get an AED, and then use it. They are simple and safe, even a child can do it.