What Is A Sudden Cardiac Arrest? – Heart Awareness Month

More than 350,000 deaths occur each year as a result of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA)

SCA claims one life every two minutes, taking more lives each year than breast cancer, lung cancer, or AIDS. To decrease the death toll from SCA, it is important to understand what SCA is, what warning signs are, and how to respond and prevent SCA from occurring. More than 65 percent of Americans not only underestimate the seriousness of SCA, but also believe SCA is a type of heart attack. But they are not the same thing.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Awareness

The Heart Rhythm Society raises awareness for Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) and helps the public become more familiar with what it is, how it affects people, and what can be done to help save lives.

The Society’s award-winning “Apples and Oranges” campaign uses a simple analogy to educate people about the difference between a heart attack and SCA. More than 65 percent of Americans not only underestimate the seriousness of SCA, but also believe SCA is a type of heart attack. The campaign targets heart attack survivors, who are at the highest risk for SCA, and stresses the importance of maintaining a healthy heart lifestyle and learning critical risk markers, especially their Ejection Fraction (EF).

This public service announcement explains the dangers of SCA and features Emmy-award winning journalist Shaun Robinson.

About Sudden Cardiac Arrest

  • More than 350,000 deaths occur each year as a result of sudden cardiac arrest.
  • SCA claims one life every two minutes, taking more lives each year than breast cancer, lung cancer, or AIDS.
  • To decrease the death toll from SCA, it is important to understand what SCA is, what warning signs are, and how to respond and prevent SCA from occurring.

Responding to SCA — Time is Everything

Time-to-treatment is critical when considering the chance of survival for an SCA victim. Ninety-five percent of those who experience SCA die because they do not receive life-saving defibrillation within four to six minutes, before brain and permanent death start to occur. Learn more about the steps to take when responding to a potential SCA emergency.

SCA Resources

Patients can access information about SCA, including causes, prevention, and other important facts.

SCArisk.org

Learn your SCA risk by using an interactive online tool. It’s fast and easy — simply answer a few questions regarding your health and get your results. After you have finished using the assessment, please consult with your physician regarding your results.

 

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Source: https://www.hrsonline.org/sudden-cardiac-arrest-sca-awareness