Sudden Cardiac Arrest Information

Quick Facts…

1. Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) takes the lives of more than 310,000 people each year – almost 1,000 children and adults every day.
2. Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), also known as sudden cardiac death, is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating.
3. It is not a heart attack. It is an arrhythmia - a problem with the heart’s electrical system.
4. If the heart is not shocked back into a normal rhythm with an automated external defibrillator (AED) within minutes, death is almost certain.

However, with AED use coupled with CPR, survival rates can reach 90% - an incredible improvement.

Cardiac arrest strikes immediately and without warning. Here’s what to look for:

1. Sudden loss of responsiveness (no response to tapping on shoulders). 
2. No normal breathing (the victim does not take a normal breath when you tilt the head up and check for at least five seconds). 
   
   

If these signs of cardiac arrest are present, call 9-1-1 and use an AED as soon as possible and begin CPR.