The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is dedicated to bringing you the latest news and developments in sudden cardiac arrest prevention and treatment.
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
Florida Construction Firm Makes AEDs Standard Equipment at Jobsites
August 6, 2008–FORT LAUDERDALE–Florida-based construction firm Moss & Associates yesterday announced a new program to deploy automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at each of its more than 30 jobsites to accelerate a life-saving response in the event of a cardiac arrest. While AEDs are increasingly being installed in public gathering places… Read More
Making Sudden Cardiac Arrest a National Health Priority
National Medical Association Issues White Paper on Sudden Cardiac Arrest August 7, 2008–ATLANTA–To help change the prevention and treatment paradigm for sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), the National Medical Association (NMA) released a white paper during their 2008 Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly that outlines directives for elevating SCA… Read More
AED Investment for Small Company Pays Off
August 6, 2008¬–TOLEDO–Three years ago, Thermadyn, a company with 30 employees in Sylvania, Ohio, invested in an automated external defibrillator (AED). The investment paid off two months ago, when Wayne Martin, CFO, used it to save the life of Roy Rosler, a 72-year-old shipping supervisor. Rosler later said he had no idea that he… Read More
If There's No Defibrillator, Pull Out a Knife?
Stan Wisniewski, Chicago, IL – 24 at time of event (1954) When Stan collapsed onto on the darkened radiology lab floor, cardiology was not yet mainstream, and defibrillators were mains powered. Drugs were revolutionizing medicine and antibiotics were used liberally, but surgery was king. And Stan is still here today because of those three… Read More
Without CPR, They Die - (Part 2 of our Hands-Only CPR Series)
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) involves mimicking two important organs, both of which are required to sustain life. The answer lies in the very term cardiopulmonary. Cardio is derived from the Greek kardia meaning heart or hollow vessel, and pulmonary from the Latin pulmonarius (of the lungs). Thus CPR quite literally means resuscitation… Read More
Introducing the SCA Foundation Chairman
Bobby V. Khan, MD, PhD, has been elected the new chairman of the Foundation Board of Directors, taking the reins from Paul Pendergast, of Hartford, CT, who served as chairman in 2007, and Michael Sayre, MD, of Columbus, OH, who served as founding chairman in 2006. Born and raised in Nashville TN, Dr. Khan is currently Assistant Professor of… Read More