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

Emory-led Lancet review highlights racial disparities in sudden cardiac arrest and death among athletes

A recent major review of data published by the Lancet and led by Emory sports cardiologist Jonathan Kim, MD, shows that Black athletes are approximately five times more likely to experience sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) compared to White athletes, despite some evidence of a decline in rates of SCD overall. SCA and SCD… Read More

Arkansas advocates push for HEARTS Act passage by year’s end

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Former Miss Arkansas Cori Keller and her father, Lynn Keller, both of Stuttgart, met with representatives of Arkansas’ Congressional delegation this week to advocate for legislation ensuring students and school staff are prepared for cardiac emergencies. The Kellers joined American Heart Association advocates in the nation’s… Read More

More people can survive sports-related cardiac arrest

Most cases of cardiac arrest during sport are likely to be preventable. In addition, the emergency response with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillators within the sports context can be improved. This has been shown in a thesis from the University of Gothenburg. Swedish ambulance services report around 6,000 cases of sudden cardiac… Read More

Cardiologists say benefits of sport and recreation physical activities outweigh risks, even for individuals with heart disease

Articles in CJC Open and the Canadian Journal of Cardiology provide important insights into the risk of cardiac arrest associated with physical activity While exercise is generally beneficial for a person's overall health, physical activities may increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular disease events in certain susceptible individuals.… Read More

Cardiac Arrest Survivor Alliance progress reported at AHA Resuscitation Science Symposium

A poster on the Cardiac Arrest Survivor Alliance was presented at the American Heart Association Resuscitation Science Symposium on November 16, Chicago, IL Cardiac arrest survivors often experience physical, cognitive, emotional, and social challenges that can linger for years. Co-survivors (loved ones) and lay rescuers can also experience… Read More

Johnnie Davis shares his survival story at RACE-CARS meeting

The RACE-CARS Trial is led by a team of researchers at the Duke Clinical Research Institute in partnership with participating EMS agencies, hospitals, 911-dispatch, fire, rescue, law enforcement agencies, and communities throughout North Carolina. The trial will last 7 years and is funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The… Read More

Updated guidance reaffirms CPR with breaths essential for cardiac arrest following drowning

New joint update from the American Heart Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics details latest guidelines for resuscitation following drowning. Updated Guideline Highlights: The American Heart Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics update recommendations for untrained lay rescuers and trained rescuers resuscitating… Read More

Bystander CPR up to 10 minutes after cardiac arrest may protect brain function

Research Highlights: The sooner a lay rescuer (bystander) starts cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a person having a cardiac arrest at home or in public, up to 10 minutes after the arrest, the better the chances of survival and brain protection, according to an analysis of nearly 200,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases in the U.S.… Read More

911 dispatcher assistance improved chances of receiving bystander CPR

Research Highlights: A study of nearly 2,400 cardiac arrest cases in North Carolina found that when emergency dispatchers (telecommunicators) provided cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) instructions to 911 callers, people were more likely to provide aid for both men and women. The study’s findings indicate that when a telecommunicator… Read More

Cardiac arrest survival improved since COVID-19 pandemic waned, still lower than prior years

Research Highlights: U.S. survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests fell significantly at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and only slightly improved through 2022. Survival rates remained lower than in the pre-pandemic years of 2015-2019. The study of more than a half million adults in the U.S. who had an out-of-… Read More