The Problem
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is a condition where the heart suddenly stops beating. It is different from a heart attack because SCA is an electrical problem with the heart. In a normal heart, there are electrical impulses that cause the heart to contract and relax. If the electrical pulses suddenly vanish, it is Sudden Cardiac Arrest. When SCA occurs, the time it takes to use an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) on the victim is directly related to their chances of survival. For example, if the person having a SCA is shocked with an AED within 1 minute their chance of survival is 90%, at three minutes 70%, at five minutes 50% and so on. In general, only 11% of EMS (Emergency Medical Service) treated victims survive due to the large time gap between the cardiac arrest and the response. In teenaged and child victims, the survival rate is only about 8%. However, if given CPR and AED treatment before professional help arrives, the chances of survival rise to 40%. Time is of the essence to save lives and at Adamsheart, we are trying to provide a better chance of survival to athletes who have a SCA.
