What is SCA?
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is an electrical malfunction of the heart, disrupting the muscle's normal rhythm. If untreated, this abrupt loss of heart function results in sudden cardiac death within minutes of onset.
SCA occurs when the heart's pumping chambers (ventricles) suddenly stop contracting effectively. As a result, the heart assumes an abnormal, chaotic rhythm, causing the heart muscle to twitch spasmodically. The heart then loses its ability to effectively pump blood. This activity is called ventricular fibrillation (VF). Because the heart is not pumping blood, a person in VF usually has no detectable pulse. They suddenly become unresponsive, stop breathing, and could die if treatment is not received in minutes. VF causes more cardiac arrests than any other life-threatening rhythm and can occur suddenly, without warning.
What is a Defibrillator or AED?
A defibrillator is a device that can deliver electrical current to the heart to treat arrhythmias. Manual defibrillators require the operator to read and interpret the ECG tracing, and may require specific steps to program and administer the electric shock.
An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is device that can be used by anyone with a minimal amount of training. Once turned on, the device provides a voice prompt that instructs the user what to do and when to do it. By having an AED on site will reduce the time that a person will receive life saving defibrillation therapy which is the most critical factor in surviving SCA.
A victim's chance of survival from SCA decreases by 7-10% with every minute that passes without this life-saving shock. Few attempts at resuscitation succeed after 10 minutes, which isn't' a long time. However, to someone in SCA, every minute can mean the difference between life and death.
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