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

Detroit Public Schools Community District staff complete CPR training and education

The American Heart Association and the Detroit Lions Foundation provided CPR training and education to support the chain of survival in Detroit. Today, Detroit Public Schools Community District teachers and coaches completed either the American Heart Association’s Heartsaver® CPR AED (automated external defibrillator) course, which provides the… Read More

Athletes have no reason to be concerned by their COVID-19 vaccine this winter but timing matters

Amsterdam UMC’s sports cardiologists analyzed studies from across the world and found no link between vaccination and sudden cardiac arrest in athletes It is now almost a rule of thumb: As soon as an athlete falls to the ground with a sudden cardiac arrest, social media is awash with claims that COVID-19 vaccinations are to blame. This was the… Read More

Organ Donation After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Scientific Statement from the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation

Sudden out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is an important public health issue that results in a tremendous loss of life despite optimal therapy.  When resuscitation fails, organ donation provides an opportunity for cardiac arrest patients and their families to save the lives of others. With organ transplant waiting lists getting longer every day, it… Read More

APCO IntelliComm and PulsePoint provide free integration, displaying AED locations for 9-1-1 telecommunicators

NASHVILLE, TN – Public safety telecommunicators utilizing APCO’s IntelliComm software can now quickly direct 9-1-1 callers during time-critical cardiac emergencies to the closest automated external defibrillator (AED). The life-saving advancement comes from the implementation of an AED geolocation plan between APCO’s IntelliComm and the PulsePoint… Read More

UT Dallas team’s AI tool may predict cardiac arrests in pediatric patients

University of Texas at Dallas researchers have developed an artificial intelligence tool that could predict the risk of cardiac arrest in children hospitalized in cardiac intensive care units. The technology is the latest work from the Statistical Artificial Intelligence and Relational Learning Group, a UT Dallas research lab where experts… Read More

Illicit drug use is involved in nearly one in three sudden cardiac deaths in young adults

A new study and editorial in Heart Rhythm examine the links between substance abuse and fatal cardiac arrest Approximately one-third of young adults in Victoria, Australia, who experienced sudden cardiac deaths (SCDs) outside of a hospital setting from April 2019 to April 2021 used illegal drugs prior to their fatal events, reports a new study in… Read More

Asian adults in U.S. less likely to survive cardiac arrest despite bystander CPR equal to white adults

Comparison of U.S. bystander CPR rates for cardiac arrest found an unexpected disparity in survival for Asian adults compared to white adults, per study in Journal of the American Heart Association Despite similar rates of bystander CPR after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, Asian adults in the U.S. have lower rates of survival than white… Read More

Bronny James reportedly recovering from cardiac arrest

The family of Bronny James, son of NBA basketball player LeBron James, reported that Bronny experienced cardiac arrest on Monday, July 24, while working out with his basketball team. He has been stabilized and is out of intensive care. No other details were immediately released. (SCAF Note: Bronny was discharged home on July 27.)  On-site care… Read More

Current evidence identifies health risks of e-cigarette use; long-term research needed

New American Heart Association scientific statement outlines current science on health effects of e-cigarette use, calls for more research on long-term impact   Statement Highlights: The number of people who use electronic nicotine delivery systems, typically referred to as e-cigarettes, has grown exponentially, especially among youth and young… Read More

Racial disparities discovered in patients with cardiac devices

Black patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) have a significantly higher burden of disease than white patients with the same device, according to a new study from University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) cardiology researchers. Analyzing data from clinical trials conducted over a 20-year period by the Clinical… Read More