AED123 Blog

Oct 02, 2019

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is different from a Heart Attack

Most people don't know that October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Awareness Month, and although it is the most common cause of out-of-hospital death, most people don't know what Sudden Cardiac Arrest is.

SCA is different from a heart attack:

• A heart attack is a plumbing issue that can often be resolved with a stent. 90% of heart attack victims survive.

• SCA is an electrical issue that prevents the heart from beating productively. Victims pass out, stop breathing, and have no pulse. If normal heart rhythm is not rapidly restored, the brain dies within minutes. Only 5% of SCA victims survive. (However, with rapid use of an AED, 90% of SCA victims can survive.)

Below is an informative video from the Cleveland Clinic that details the difference.