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

A Test Working to Predict Sudden Cardiac Death

On September 14, 2007, Lorenz Diesbergen, age 44, stepped off a commuter train in downtown Chicago and began his daily walk to work in the Chicago Loop. As he crossed the bridge over the Chicago River, his heart’s normal rhythm suddenly deteriorated into an uncoordinated frenzy of useless fibrillations. He may have managed a few more steps—we don’… Read More

Commonly Prescribed Antibiotic ‘Could Increase Risk Of Cardiac Death,’ Scientists Warn

A new study published in The BMJ has linked a commonly prescribed antibiotic – clarithromycin – to an increased risk of cardiac death. Clarithromycin belongs to a class of drugs known as macrolide antibiotics. It is used to treat an array of bacterial infections, including pneumonia, bronchitis and ear, sinus, skin and throat infections.  … Read More

Poor Health Literacy Poses Risks for Pacemaker and Defibrillator Patients

NEW YORK, NY--Patients who rely on pacemakers and defibrillators to maintain a normal heart rhythm run the risk of serious health complications if they don't fully understand how the devices work and what to do when they experience an irregular heartbeat. But a study from Columbia University School of Nursing published this month in the Journal of… Read More

Implantable Heart Devices Result in Similar Survival Benefits Among Ethnic, Racial Groups

LOS ANGELES--Racial and ethnic minorities who receive implantable devices to treat heart failure derive the same substantial survival benefit from these therapies as white patients, new UCLA-led research shows. While the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association jointly recommend the use of implantable cardioverter… Read More

Convention and Visitors Bureau Becomes Part of the Springfield LifeSave Plus Initiative

SPRINGFIELD, MO--The Convention & Visitors Bureau has joined the ranks of the Springfield LifeSave Plus initiative to help the community and guests to the city be safer. The CVB staff took the city initiative to not only equip the Route 66 Springfield Information Center and CVB offices, 815 E. St. Louis St., with a life-saving Automated… Read More

Emergency Responders Credit Public Access Defibrillator with Saving Hockey Player’s Life

GUELPH, ONTARIO--Emergency responders—fire, police and EMS—are highlighting the importance of having public access defibrillators (PADs) in community spaces. On Thursday, August 14, a 9-1-1 call was made from the University of Guelph sports arena to report that a 49-year-old hockey player had collapsed and was without vital signs. As fire and EMS… Read More

Saving Lives at Work

A message from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration Improving survival from sudden cardiac arrest There are 220,000 victims of sudden cardiac arrest per year in the United States [1]; about 10,000 sudden cardiac arrests occur at work. Waiting for the arrival of emergency medical system personnel results in only 5-7% survival.… Read More

Survival Increases With Clinical Team Debriefing After In-hospital Cardiac Arrest

Lessons learned prepare team for future cases and increase chance of favorable neurologic outcome PHILADELPHIA, PA--A new study found that staff members who joined structured team debriefings after emergency care for children suffering in-hospital cardiac arrests improved their CPR performance and substantially increased the rates of… Read More

National AED Readiness Project Aims to Help Individuals and Organizations Prepare for Sudden Cardiac Arrest

The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation and Enerspect Medical Solutions have joined forces to launch the AED Readiness Project, a national initiative to improve access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in locations that might otherwise lack opportunities to acquire the lifesaving devices. AEDs are used to treat victims of sudden cardiac… Read More

US Lacrosse Announces the 2014 Recipients of AED Grants

BALTIMORE, MD--US Lacrosse is providing AED grants to 33 lacrosse organizations across 21 states to subsidize the cost of acquiring automated external defibrillators (AEDs). The grants, which total over $16,000, are made available through US Lacrosse's partnership with Cardiac Science, a global leader in the manufacturing of AEDs and other… Read More