Study Highlights:

• Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest was the third leading cause of “health loss due to disease” in the United States behind ischemic heart disease and low back/neck pain in 2016.
• Bystander interventions, such as CPR and AED application, significantly reduce death and disability due to out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.

DALLAS, TX– Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest was the third leading cause of “health loss due to disease” in the United States behind ischemic heart disease and low back/neck pain in 2016, according to new research in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association journal.

A study recently published in Critical Care Medicine examines the feasibility and safety of performing “head-up CPR,” a bundled technique that involves mild elevation of the head and torso for patients experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OOHCA). Conducted between Jan. 1, 2014 and June 30, 2017 by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue (Fla.) crews, the study was led by industry leaders such as Paul Pepe, MD, Peter Antevy, MD, Kenneth Scheppke, MD, and others.

Approval will allow Flirtey to deliver automated external defibrillators

Sudden cardiac arrest—when the heart suddenly stops beating—is a public health crisis. About 1,000 cardiac arrests occur outside hospitals every day in the U.S. and only one in 10 victims survives. Most cases (70 percent) occur in the home.[1]

Survival largely depends on immediate bystander intervention with CPR and automated external defibrillators (AEDs). AEDs are layperson-friendly lifesaving devices that can restore a normal heartbeat when used promptly. With quick CPR and AED action, five in 10 victims could be saved.

The fastest roller coasters exceed 100 mph. A race car driver can double that speed within seconds.

Either activity can exhilarate, but could they also harm the heart? Could someone literally die from the excitement?

Probably not, according to one study that surveyed thrill-seekers with serious heart conditions.

Despite all the warning notices posted on adrenaline-pumping amusement park rides, or from friends trying to discourage that skydiving trip, very little science has explored the question.

"I can't think of a single major replicated study connecting thrill-seeking personalities and actual thrill-seeking behavior to health. That is, one that does the full cardiovascular workup," said Frank Farley, a psychologist at Temple University in Philadelphia.

An article on "Sudden Cardiac Deaths in Young People" written by the Children's Health Defense team and republished on this site, has been pulled due to its implications that vaccines may cause cardiac arrest in young people. The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation does not support this claim, which is not supported by science. We apologize for any confusion.

When we watch movies and TV, we know that people can't actually fly, zombies aren't real and animals can't talk, among other scenarios presented for our entertainment.

So when CPR and other heroic measures to revive an unconscious victim pop up on the screen, should we react the same way?

"Movies very rarely get it right," said Dr. Howie Mell, an emergency room physician in suburban Chicago who has also been a firefighter and paramedic. "They need to create drama and tell a story in a succinct and cohesive manner. That doesn't always lend itself to an accurate portrayal."

Many health professionals wish that were different. Several studies in recent years have compared on-screen cardiac crises to reality and lamented the results.

Richard Schmidt, 76, was just about to board his flight home to Sacramento after a two-week vacation here last month when his heart suddenly stopped and he collapsed at the jetway at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.

That’s when several passengers behind him, including a nurse and off-duty Honolulu firefighter, went into action. Feeling no pulse, they started CPR and used an airport automated external defibrillator, or AED, to shock his heart. After a single shock, Schmidt regained consciousness and was rushed to Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center where he had triple bypass heart surgery on Jan. 24. Following his recovery, he met one of the good Samaritans face-to-face at a news conference today before boarding his flight back home.

An annual report from the American Heart Association indicates the incidence of sudden cardiac arrest occurring outside hospitals in the U.S. remains high and survival rates remain low. Bystander intervention—a key determinant of survival—also remains low. The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation urges the public to learn CPR and how to use automated external defibrillators (AEDs), since immediate bystander action can triple the chance of survival. And, since most cases outside hospitals occur in the home, chances are bystanders will be called upon to help save their loved ones.