The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is dedicated to bringing you the latest news and developments in sudden cardiac arrest prevention and treatment.
AED Recall
Physio Control, Inc., has issued a recall of LifePak CR Plus Automated External Defibrillators (AED), used by emergency or medical personnel to treat adults in cardiopulmonary arrest. The product was recalled because the AED instructs the responder by voice prompts to press the shock button which is not visible because it is covered, thereby… Read More
ACTION ALERT: Please Urge Your Legislators to Designate October as SCA Awareness Month
The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, along with other members of the SCA Coalition, urges you to help raise awareness of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) by contacting your Legislators and asking them to co-sponsor House Concurrent Resolution 393 and Senate Concurrent Resolution 93 supporting the establishment of October as yearly “National Sudden… Read More
He's No April Fool
Bradford Summers, Orlando, FL – 49 at time of event (2008) Brad Summers is a highly trained emergency flight nurse. It is not uncommon for him to emergently transport cardiac and trauma patients to hospitals designed to provide the highest level of care. He knows all about cardiac emergencies (Code Stemi’s), and knows the telltale… Read More
Serendipity or God's Grace?
Kevin McCullen, Richland, WA – 52 at time of event (2008) - now DECEASED A nuclear hazard, a pet sitter and an anonymous bystander all conspired to save Kevin. Without the nearby Hanford Nuclear reservation, Brad Jackson, a hazardous materials training instructor, would not have been driving by. We don’t know anything about the… Read More
This Picture Man Was No Sight To See.
Bob Palmer, Portland, OR – 65 at time of event (2008) Bob had returned from a three-day conference on the Oregon Coast, enjoying the sunsets and luxurious accommodations. He had completed his usual daily walk around Mt Tabor, an extinct volcano, with his camera, and was eagerly downloading the pictures into Photoshop on his computer when he fell… Read More
Ultrasound Used to Predict Heart Attack Risk
August 19, 2008–ScienceDaily–Repeat exams using widely available and inexpensive ultrasound imaging could help identify patients at high risk for a heart attack or other adverse cardiovascular events, according to a study published in the September issue of the journal Radiology. Heart attack is one of the causes of sudden cardiac arrest. … Read More
Lifesaving Implantable Devices Underused in Heart Patients
August 18, 2008–Fewer than half of eligible patients in the U.S. received medical devices to shock their faulty hearts back into rhythm, though the products can cut death rates by more than one-third, a study found. Hospitals implanted the $33,000 cardiac resynchronization therapy devices in 12.4 percent of heart failure patients, according to a… Read More
Defibs in Space...
August 13, 2008–REDMOND, WA–The International Space Station (ISS) is now equipped with the first automated external defibrillator (AED) in space. The AED will be available for NASA crew members should someone experience sudden cardiac arrest in space. The ISS has utilized manual defibrillators in the past, but NASA decided to now deploy an AED… Read More
Bill Seeks to Mandate CPR Training in High Schools in Phillipines
August 14, 2008–MANILA, Philippines–To combat the high incidence of death by cardiac arrest in the country, a lawmaker has filed a bill seeking the mandatory teaching of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in public and private secondary schools. In a statement on Thursday, Alliance for Rural Concerns partylist representative Narciso Santiago… Read More