The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is dedicated to bringing you the latest news and developments in sudden cardiac arrest prevention and treatment.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Increases the Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death
People suffering from the common lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), have an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD), according to new research published online today (Wednesday) in the European Heart Journal [1]. When compared with people of the same age and sex who do not have the disease, those with COPD have a 34… Read More
Cardiovascular Screening for Young Athletes: A Continuing Controversy
Researchers Kimberly G. Harmon, MD, and Jonathan A. Drezner, MD, from the University of Washington have challenged the position taken by Barry Maron, MD, and colleagues of the Minneapolis Heart Institute in a letter to the editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association published on April 28. They state: "In a Viewpoint on cardiovascular… Read More
Two Treatments Yield Similar Results for Children After Cardiac Arrest
NIH-funded research finds therapeutic hypothermia no more effective than normal temperature control A large-scale, multicenter study has shown that emergency body cooling does not improve survival rates or reduce brain injury in infants and children with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest more than normal temperature control. Therapeutic hypothermia,… Read More
Cognitive Function and Health-Related Quality of Life Four Years After Cardiac Arrest
BERGEN, NORWAY--Neuropsychological testing has uncovered cognitive impairment in cardiac arrest survivors with good neurologic outcome according to the cerebral performance categories. Researchers from Norway investigated cognitive function and health-related quality of life four years after cardiac arrest. They evaluated 30 cardiac arrest… Read More
Executive Saves Cardiac Arrest Victim's Life At San Jose Airport
Mike Vanneman, bystander and volunteer firefighter saved two lives in the past year A Los Altos business executive and volunteer firefighter is being credited with helping to save a heart attack victim with three shocks from a defibrillator on Sunday at Mineta San Jose International Airport. Mike Vanneman, founder of Los Altos-based TVG Executive… Read More
Study Assesses Safety of Sports Participation in LQTS Patients
Participation in both competitive and recreational sports may be safer than previously thought for pediatric patients with congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS), according to results of a study published April 20 in the first issue of JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology. In a retrospective cohort study, researchers reviewed data from 212 LQTS patients… Read More
Should They Stay or Should They Go? Study Finds No Harm from Hospital Policies That Let Families Observe CPR
ANN ARBOR, MI--When a hospital patient's heart stops, the drama starts, as doctors and nurses work furiously at resuscitation. And at many hospitals, that's the cue for someone to pull a curtain and hurry the patient's loves ones out of the room. But some hospitals allow those family members to stay, and watch the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (… Read More
Cognitive Problems Are Common After Cardiac Arrest
LUND, SWEDEN--Half of all patients who survive a cardiac arrest experience problems with cognitive functions such as memory and attention. This has been shown by a major international study led from Lund University. Surprisingly, however, a control group comprising heart attack patients had largely the same level of problems. This suggests… Read More
Before Your Workout, Watch for These Cardiac Arrest Warning Signs
Athlete Charles “Chuck” Hughes was born on March 2, 1943. His tragic death left us a legacy we can learn from. He was a tremendous college football athlete at Texas Western College, now known as University of Texas El Paso (UTEP). He still holds many team records including most all-purpose yards in a single game, 4-1, and most receptions in a… Read More