The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is dedicated to bringing you the latest news and developments in sudden cardiac arrest prevention and treatment.
Automated Cardiac Arrest Detection Using Wrist-Worn Photoplethysmography: External Validation in Patients With Induced Shockable Cardiac Arrest
A study published in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology suggests that a smart wristband device may be able to detect cardiac arrest with high accuracy, potentially speeding up emergency response and improving survival for out-of-hospital events. The DETECT-1b study tested an algorithm in 49 adults in the Netherlands during medical… Read More
Improving Bystander Willingness to Assist during a Cardiac Arrest in a Parish Setting
This project looked at whether CPR and AED training could help volunteers at a church feel more prepared to respond during a sudden cardiac arrest emergency. Sixteen adult volunteers participated in a two-hour hands-only training led by a registered nurse. Before the training, most participants did not feel confident recognizing cardiac arrest,… Read More
Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Survival at Nighttime: A Nationwide Cohort Study
This nationwide study examined whether survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is worse when emergency response occurs at night compared with daytime. Using data from over 874,000 adult cardiac arrests in the U.S. Cardiac Arrest Registry for Enhanced Survival (2013–2024), researchers compared outcomes between nighttime (11:00 pm–6:59… Read More
Verbal pressure made by a team leader can decrease the quality of chest compressions: a pilot study
This simulation study examined how verbal pressure from a team leader affects performance and stress in Polish paramedic students during emergency tasks. Participants were asked to complete a coordination task (calling a laboratory and recording information) followed by performing chest compressions for two minutes. One group worked without… Read More
HCM and Risk of OHCA
This Danish study examined whether people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) have a higher risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Using national health registry data covering more than 29,000 adults, the researchers compared individuals with HCM to matched people without the condition and followed them for up to 20 years. The findings… Read More
Functional Access to Public Defibrillators and Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Outcomes: A Population-Based Geospatial Analysis in Korea
This study examined how easily people can realistically access public automated external defibrillators (AEDs) during out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in a large region of Korea, and how that access relates to survival outcomes. The researchers focused on “functional accessibility,” meaning whether someone could actually reach and use an AED… Read More
Emergency Preparedness Starts with a Rescue-Ready AED
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is one of the most time-sensitive medical emergencies that can happen in a workplace, school, or public setting. It strikes without warning and affects employees, customers, students, or visitors. When SCA happens, survival depends on immediate action. For every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation, a… Read More
Leisure-time physical activity and risk of sudden cardiac death: a 28-year follow-up from the Copenhagen City Heart Study
A large long-term study from Denmark followed more than 10,000 adults for nearly 30 years to explore whether everyday physical activity affects the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Participants reported how active they were during their leisure time—such as walking, cycling, or exercising—and researchers tracked health outcomes using national… Read More
Association between EMS response time and return of spontaneous circulation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients in Busan, South Korea
A recent study examined out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases in Busan, South Korea, analyzing how quickly emergency medical services (EMS) arrived and whether patients achieved return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) before reaching the hospital. Researchers reviewed 2,388 adult cardiac arrest cases from 2022 and found that 179 people (7.5%)… Read More