Sudden Cardiac Arrest/Death 101

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By Caralee Adams

Sudden cardiac death (SCD), also called sudden cardiac arrest, happens when the heart unexpectedly stops working and the person stops breathing. It can be caused by almost any form of heart disease, which may or may not have been diagnosed. When someone experiences sudden cardiac arrest, the diseased heart beats very fast or irregularly and blood is no longer pumped adequately to the body. Patients die due to lack of oxygen to the brain unless emergency treatment is given immediately.

A sudden cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack, which occurs when a blocked artery results in damage to the heart muscle by keeping blood and oxygen from flowing to it. Rather, a sudden cardiac arrest is linked to a malfunction in the electrical system of the heart.
 
Who Is at Risk?
SCD is most common in adults in their mid-30s to mid-40s.

Men are twice as likely as women to experience it. 

Other factors that increase your SCD risk include:

• Heart attack history. Nearly three-quarters of deaths from sudden cardiac arrest are linked to people who have had a heart attack. The risk is higher within the first six months after a heart attack.
• Coronary artery disease. Most people who suffer SCD also have coronary artery disease. Risks include smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, family history of heart disease, inactivity, and diabetes.