Here at defibshop, we mention the term Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) quite often, but we realise that not many people will understand what it actually is. Sudden Cardiac Arrest is where the heart suddenly stops beating regularly, causing blood flow to stop. The heart then enters into an irregular and usually chaotic rhythm; these are called arrhythmias.

In relation to SCA, there are two shockable rhythms which first responders need to be aware of; these are ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation.

Sudden cardiac arrest can occur with no previous symptoms or warnings. However, occasionally, symptoms including fainting, chest pains, weakness, nausea, shortness of breath, dizziness, blackouts and fatigue can occur prior to the arrest. Whilst cardiac arrests can occur with no evident cause, there are some events which can trigger a cardiac arrest including; chest trauma, heart attack, hypothermia, hypoxemia, near drowning and blood loss. Living with a serious heart condition such as coronary heart disease (CHD) can also contribute to a cardiac arrest.

Adults

Adults, no matter what age, gender, health condition and ethnicity, can suffer from a Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

SCA is the no.1 killer of men aged between 45-54 and every 4 in 10 cardiac arrests occur in women. If a woman was to suffer a heart attack, it is twice as likely to be fatal than if it occurred in a male.

People often confuse cardiac arrest with a heart attack, but there is a significant difference between the two. Heart attacks occur when the blood supply to the heart is heavily blocked, some notable causes of heart attacks include the tightening of the coronary arteries and harsh spasms, usually caused by drugs, smoking or stress. Cardiac arrest takes place when the heart electrically malfunctions; this prevents blood from being pumped around the body.

Often a heart attack can develop into cardiac arrest, to which only the shock from a defibrillator and CPR can save the victim. Whilst heart conditions are often seen as conditions developed as a result from an unhealthy lifestyle, no one is immune from suffering a cardiac arrest and can incur even in the most health-conscious and physically active individuals.

Children

Equally to adults, children can also suffer Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Unlike many other health issues, SCA does not discriminate between age, gender, health conditions and ethnicity.

Every year, 270 children will die in school due to a sudden cardiac arrest. Statistics like this further prove the need for defibrillators in schools in addition to bringing first aid into the National Curriculum. Defibrillators and effective CPR are the only definitive treatments of SCA, regardless of age, so shouldn’t we be doing as much as possible to protect our children?

The most common heart conditions found in children are structural heart defects. Usually, these involve a problem with the heart muscle or heart valves. They include:

• Heart valve conditions; e.g. narrowing of the aortic valve which can lead to blood flow restrictions.
• Defects in the wall (the septum) which separates the left and right sides of the heart.

Prevention

There are many changes you can easily implement into your lifestyle which can help keep your heart healthy, and reduce the risk of developing CHD or suffering a heart attack. Something as simple as cooking meals from scratch can make a huge difference to reducing your salt and sugar intake, helping you to control exactly what is going into your body. Not only will you benefit from this, but your family will too.

Exercise is crucial if a healthy lifestyle is going to be achieved. Be sure to get the kids out and about and off the couch into the fresh open air of a park, and get yourself there too! Everyone benefits from exercise. The results you can achieve from an extra 30 minutes of exercise each day will be dramatically evident not only on the waistline, but in your mood too.

Cardiac screening is a process which can help identify underlying disease, abnormalities, electrical faults within the natural pacemaker and any other medical conditions. It can help to find medical issues that you were perhaps previously unaware of and can offer further information about these issues. If you have a family history of heart problems, or have a feeling your heartbeat may be irregular, make an appointment with your doctor to get screened to ensure you’re aware of any unknown conditions.

The fourth prevention method is defibrillators, the life-saving shock delivered by the device will jumpstart the heart back into a normal rhythm.

Public access AEDs are becoming more accessible and so this allows for an increase in survival rates, combined with effective bystander CPR. Effective CPR is also essential if this prevention method were to be used.

More Info

We hope we have helped you gain a wider understanding of exactly who is at risk of SCA. No-one is immune, and SCA can strike at any given time.

If you would like to learn more about Sudden Cardiac Arrest, defibrillators, the difference between SCA and a heart attack, be sure to head over to our FAQ page where we answer all your remaining questions. If not, why not get in touch with us @defibshop where one of our team will be happy to answer your questions.