The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is dedicated to bringing you the latest news and developments in sudden cardiac arrest prevention and treatment.
SCAF Joins SCA Community for 6th Annual CPR + AED Awareness Rally & March in Washington, D.C.
The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation was proud to participate in the 6th Annual CPR & AED Awareness Rally & March in Washington, D.C., held July 23–25, 2026. The inspiring event brought together sudden cardiac arrest survivors, families, advocates, healthcare professionals, and leaders from across the country to raise awareness about the… Read More
Advancing Readiness Through Partnership
Preparedness is the foundation of every lifesaving response. Sudden cardiac arrest can happen anywhere, at any time — including during mass casualty incidents, accidents, disasters, and other emergencies where first responders and healthcare teams are called upon to make rapid decisions and provide lifesaving care. In these moments, outcomes… Read More
Characterizing stressors, coping strategies, and intervention preferences related to brain health among cardiac arrest survivors and their family caregivers
This study explored the brain health-related stressors, coping strategies, and support needs of cardiac arrest survivors and their caregivers, while also gathering feedback on a proposed brain health lifestyle intervention for this community. Researchers conducted focus groups and interviews with survivor-caregiver pairs recruited in part through… Read More
Implementation of cardiac emergency response plan in primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong: A cross-sectional survey of local physical education teachers
This study of 122 physical education teachers in Hong Kong examined how well cardiac emergency response plans (CERPs) are implemented in primary and secondary schools. The study found that most schools have key structural components in place—such as AEDs (91.8%), communication systems (87.6%), and trained staff (84.4%). CPR training among… Read More
Disparities in Pediatric Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Outcomes Relating to Race, Urbanicity, and Poverty: A Study of the NEMSIS Database
A nationwide study of nearly 15,000 pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrests used data from the National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS) Database (2021–2023) to examine whether race, geography, and community poverty levels influence early lifesaving care before emergency responders arrive. The study measured whether… Read More
Paramedic-assessed quality of bystander CPR is associated with survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
A study of more than 17,700 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Australia reinforces the lifesaving impact of bystander CPR. People who received CPR before emergency responders arrived were more likely to survive than those who did not, highlighting the critical role that bystanders play during a cardiac emergency. The researchers also found that… Read More
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