SCA News

Notre Dame Students Create Drone Defibrillator for Fast Response to Cardiac Arrest Victims

Students at the University of Notre Dame are thinking of a new way to save lives. The students, Nathaniel Hanson and Zachary Kousens, Class of 2019, came up with a drone defibrillator. “The idea is when someone has sudden cardiac arrest and a bystander calls 911 and an EMT responds, help typically takes 10 minutes to get to the scene,” Hanson… Read More

Researchers Spot Tell-Tale Signs of Potentially Fatal Cardiac Arrest in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young people (such as the unexpected near fatal cardiac arrest suffered by the-then 23 year old footballer Fabrice Muamba), but the microscopic heart muscle abnormalities behind these tragic events can only be picked up in a post-mortem. Now, in a study published in the… Read More

Resuscitation Quality Improvement Programs Offer a Comprehensive Solution to Help Improve Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Outcomes in Communities

The American Heart Association, Laerdal Medical and the Resuscitation Academy Foundation introduce programs for prehospital and public safety responders to help increase out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival. A suite of resuscitation quality improvement programs for pre-hospital and public safety responders is now available from RQI Partners… Read More

The Latest in Resuscitation Science Research: Highlights From the 2018 American Heart Association Resuscitation Science Symposium

The 2018 American Heart Association (AHA)’s Resuscitation Science Symposium (ReSS), held November 9 to 11, in Chicago, Illinois, brought together thought-provoking research from basic science to clinical trials and frontline work in the public health space. Across 16 sessions, more than 50 oral presentations were given on topics ranging from a… Read More

Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation Is An Option to Overcome Barriers of Traditional Cardiac Rehabilitation

DALLAS, TX--Home based, medically supervised cardiac rehabilitation may be, for some patients, an alternative to traditional medical center cardiac rehabilitation programs after a heart attack or other heart procedure, according to a joint scientific statement from the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology and the American… Read More

Body Scanners at Airport Security Do Not Interfere with Functionality of Pacemakers and Defibrillators

First of its kind study presented at Heart Rhythm 2019 shows travelers with common cardiac devices can pass through without restrictions or precautions. SAN FRANCISCO, CA--Results from new research show that passengers with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), such as pacemakers or defibrillators, can safely travel through airport… Read More

Survivor Susan Koeppen, SCAF National Spokesperson, Runs in Pittsburgh Marathon

PITTSBURGH, PA--Susan Koeppen, KDKA TV (CBS) news anchor and Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation National Spokesperson, ran 6.5 miles as part of a relay team at the Pittsburgh Marathon on Sunday. She and fellow survivor, Bruce Benda, ran on behalf of an American Heart Association team. This was Susan’s third time running the relay since surviving… Read More

National Cardiac Arrest Collaborative Update

The Steering Committee of the National Cardiac Arrest Collaborative recently reported on current activities related to the recommendations of the IOM Report: Strategies to Improve Cardiac Arrest Survival – A Time to Act. Recommendation 8. Create a National Cardiac Arrest Collaborative. The Steering Committee reached out to the US Department of… Read More

Resuscitation Science, Technology and Emergency Dispatch Services Leaders Commit to Help Double Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Survival by 2028

Resuscitation quality improvement program, protocols for telecommunicators core components to improve survival rates DALLAS, TX--The American Heart Association states more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the U.S. annually. Cardiac arrest is a life-threatening condition with about a 10-minute life expectancy without immediate… Read More

Life After Life: Does Consciousness Continue After the Heart Stops?

How can people brought back from death after cardiac arrest report having experienced lucid and vivid memories and recollections without a functioning brain? The study of near-death experiences is challenging the idea our consciousness fades to black when our body expires. He could see a nurse and doctor, a bald, “chunky fella” dressed in blue… Read More