What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA)? An Automated External Defibrillator (AED)?

What is sudden cardiac arrest?
Sudden cardiac arrest is an electrical malfunction of the heart that makes it unable to pump blood through the body. It is a life-threatening condition that if left untreated will result in death. It's also one of the nation's leading killers, causing over an estimated 300,000 deaths per year.

Am I at risk for cardiac arrest?
Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, of any age, at any time, without warning, even people who have no known risk of heart disease. However, several factors can increase your risk, including:

 A family or individual history of heart disease

 Smoking

 High blood pressure

 High cholesterol

 Obesity

 Diabetes

 A sedentary lifestyle

What is an automated external defibrillator?
The only way to restart a heart that is in cardiac arrest is to shock it with a defibrillator, sometimes more than once. An automated external defibrillator, or AED, is a device that delivers an electrical shock to the heart in order to stop certain forms of rapid heart rhythm disturbances (also known as arrhythmias). The shock changes these rhythms to an organized rhythm, or changes a very rapid and ineffective cardiac rhythm to a slower, more effective one. AEDs are now available for use by people with minimal medical training until medical professionals are available .

Who can use an AED?
Today's AEDs are self directed, i.e., they tell you with a recorded voice exactly what to do, step by step. An AED will only shock a victim if after monitoring the heart, a shock is required. It is all automatic. While people are often more confident in an emergency if they have received training, anyone can use an AED.

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Last revised: 4/28/2008