The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is dedicated to bringing you the latest news and developments in sudden cardiac arrest prevention and treatment.

Prioritizing interventions to reduce caregiver burden among racially and ethnically diverse co-survivors of cardiac arrest survivors in the United States

About 1,000 families are affected by out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (CA) each year in the United States. A recent AHA Scientific statement on CA survivorship[1] and prior research[2] indicates co-survivors—close family members of CA survivors—suffer from psychological distress at an equal, if not greater extent, due to witnessing the CA, fear of… Read More

Duke-NUS researchers find polluting particles in the air are linked to cardiac arrests

Research in Singapore confirms a link between tiny particulates in air pollution and sudden cardiac arrests in the general population. SINGAPORE -- Small particles in air pollution in Singapore might have caused sudden cardiac arrests in some people who were not in hospital but simply going about their normal lives, according to scientists at… Read More

CPR education in public housing communities may improve cardiac arrest survival

Cardiac arrests that occurred in public housing communities accounted for one-third of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Vienna and Copenhagen during a seven-year period. That jumped to more than 60% of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests when also considering areas within a 104-yard radius of public housing communities. The findings… Read More

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation designated as a 2022 top nonprofit

Thank you to everyone who wrote a review of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation. Thanks to your efforts, we have been designated as a top nonprofit in the 2022 Top-Rated List by GreatNonprofits, the #1 source of nonprofit stories and feedback. As one reviewer said, “My husband had a SCA in May 2019 at 47. A few months after, he was really… Read More

Blacks, Hispanics less likely than Whites to receive bystander CPR

KANSAS CITY, MO--Black and Hispanic individuals are less likely to receive potentially life-saving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from bystanders compared to White individuals, according to a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Previous reports have shown racial and ethnic disparities in survival for cardiac… Read More

After cardiac arrest, does sedation improve the chance of surviving and regaining normal brain function?

The findings of a new study suggest that sedation of patients recovering from cardiac arrest in the intensive care unit may have protective effects on the brain. Key takeaways Administering the sedatives propofol or dexmedetomidine when circulation is restored following cardiac arrest improved survival and brain function in mice The findings… Read More

Join the World Restart A Heart Day Webinar

Join a free global webinar on October 20th on increasing cardiac arrest survival. The Global Resuscitation Alliance, together with valued partners, works as a catalyst to help implement programs that work. From America to Australia, from Denmark to Korea, the results speak for themselves. Accelerating community implementation of effective… Read More

Seven common myths about Sudden Cardiac Arrest: What everyone needs to know about saving a life

Each October, people add a little more pink to their lives as they bring awareness to those affected by breast cancer. With no disrespect to the color pink, the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is asking everyone to consider adding a little red too.  October is National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month. Did you know that Sudden Cardiac… Read More

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation National Spokesperson Susan Koeppen pays it forward

Back in July, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation National Spokesperson, Susan Koeppen, who survived cardiac arrest in 2011, was waiting to turn left at a busy intersection in Pittsburgh.  “I’m going to watch this guy because he doesn’t look right,” said Susan. “I watched him, he drifted right by me, jumped the curb, and crashed right here into the… Read More

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation announces Southern California Chapter

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation (SCAF) is pleased to announce the establishment of its Southern California Chapter, based in Los Angeles. SCAF-SoCal will be led by Stephen Sanko, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, and Allison Gingold, Esq. Dr. Sanko is Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern… Read More