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

NATA Recommends Athletic Health Care Providers Adopt a "Time Out" System Before Sporting Events

DALLAS – With preseason practices now underway and the start of fall sports schedules around the corner, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) issued today an official statement recommending athletic health care providers conduct a “Time Out” before athletic events to ensure emergency action plans are reviewed and in place. “This is… Read More

Faster Isn't Always Better with CPR

NEW YORK--Doing CPR too fast can mean chest compressions aren't deep enough to get blood flowing to the heart and brain, a new study from Belgium suggests. Researchers found that when rescuers pushed at a rate above 145 compressions per minute, the depth of those compressions dropped to less than four centimeters. Recommendations from Europe… Read More

Dana Vollmer Overcomes Heart Condition to Win Olympic Gold

Swimmer Dana Vollmer joined the London Olympics highlight reel when she set a record in the 100-meter butterfly on Sunday, becoming the first woman ever to finish the event in less than 56 seconds. For the 24-year-old American swimmer, capturing the gold was something of a redemption, coming four years after she failed to qualify for the team at… Read More

Scarred Heart May Indicate Need for ICD

Left ventricular scarring may be a better determinant for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) candidacy than a low ejection fraction.  ICD Outcomes Tied to Cardiac Muscle Scarring A significant amount of MRI-detected scarring in the myocardium is predictive of a poor prognosis in patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (… Read More

U.S. Preventative Services Task Force Issues New Guidelines on ECG Screening for Adults

New guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), comprised of 16 volunteer members, recommend against screening with electrocardiography (ECG) during rest or exercise to predict coronary heart disease (CHD) events in asymptomatic adults at low risk for CHD events. An ECG is a simple, non-invasive test that measures electrical… Read More

Post-Cardiac Arrest Care System Improved Survivors' Neurological Status

DALLAS -- Fewer sudden cardiac arrest survivors had neurologic impairment after a novel regional system of care was implemented, according to research published in Circulation, an American Heart Association journal. In 2009, the Aizu region of Japan established an advanced post-cardiac arrest care system that included emergency medical services (… Read More

Not All Long QT Athletes Have to Be Benched

Exercise and sports participation are "manageable risks" Tailored therapy and close supervision may help keep competitive athletes with long QT syndrome, such as Olympic hopeful Dana Vollmer, in the game, a study has shown. A thorough diagnostic evaluation, appropriate medication, risk counseling, education, and a defibrillator device at the… Read More

Seven in 10 NJ Hospitals Use Mild Therapeutic Hypothermia for Survivors of SCA

Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is a fairly new and innovative procedure designed to improve neurologically intact survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). The procedure involves reducing the body's core temperature for an extended period of time (e.g., 12–24 hours) during postarrest treatment. Research has demonstrated the efficacy of TH… Read More

Preventing Sudden Cardiac Death at the London Olympics

LONDON, UK - When 32-year-old Claire Squires collapsed in sudden cardiac arrest during the London Marathon in May, Dr Sanjay Sharma (St. George's Hospital, London, UK), medical director for the race, tried in vain to save her. Now Sharma, head of the cardiology team for the 2012 Olympics, will no doubt have Squires at the back of his mind when the… Read More

Cardiac Arrest Survival Improving in U.S. Hospitals

More people hospitalized for cardiac arrest are surviving compared with a decade ago, according to a U.S. study, possibly because of changes in hospital treatment and the way bystanders respond when somebody collapses. The study, which appeared in the journal Circulation, found that in 2008, the death rate among U.S. residents hospitalized… Read More