Sudden Cardiac Arrest - Medical Jurisprudence, Inc.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Written By:
Paulette Campbell RN-BC, BSN, MJ
Certified Legal Nurse Consultant

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. The result is a loss of blood flow to vital organs of the body including the brain. It is not the same as a heart attack or myocardial infarction. A heart attack is related to blocked blood flow to part of the heart muscle but the heart does not stop suddenly beating. People with heart disease do have an increased chance of sudden cardiac arrest.

Between 250,000 and 450,000 Americans experience sudden cardiac arrest each year. The average person with SCA appears too healthy and can either be an adult or child. Ninety-five percent of those who experience SCA do not survive. In fact, they often die within minutes of onset.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest most often occurs because of an arrhythmia called ventricular fibrillation. The heart has an internal electrical system that controls the rhythm of the heart. Different abnormal heart rhythms produce many different types of heart reactions such as beating too fast, too slow, or stop beating completely. When ventricular fibrillation occurs the large ventricular quivers rapidly and irregularly, thus prevents blood from getting to the body. The heart beat slows, rhythm slows or the heart muscle stops responding to electrical symbols.

There are several factors that can put someone at risk for SCA;

Coronary heart disease (80%)
History of heart attack (75%)
Severe Physical Distress
Inherited Disorders (Long QT Syndrome, Wolff-Parkinson White Syndrome)
Structural changes in the heart
History of Ventricular Tachycardia/Ventricular Fibrillation
Congenital heart disease
Obesity
Diabetes
Recreational Drug Abuse
History of fainting without known reason
Dilated cardiomyopathy
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Significant changes in potassium and Magnesium levels

When sudden cardiac arrest occurs, the person loses consciousness, no heart beat can be felt and the victim stops breathing. Diagnosis most often occurs after the incident occurs. If the person survives the event, the following diagnostic tests can be done to confirm the event;

EKG – used to detect/locate the source of arrhythmias
Echocardiogram – used to identify poor blood flow to the heart, to identify areas of heart muscle that is not contracting or areas of the heart where previous injury has occurred
MRI Heart Scan – used to detect whether the heart has a reduced ability to pump blood
Cardiac Catheterization – used to determine pressure and blood flow to the heart by examining the arteries by x-ray
Electrophysiology – electrical stimulation is used to find out where the hearts electrical system is damaged

On average, it takes an ambulance about ten minutes to arrive to a scene and for every minute that a victim of sudden cardiac arrest goes without intervention, their chance for survival decreases by ten percent. A defibrillator is a device that sends electrical shock to the heart and must be used within minutes of the incident occurring. Automated External Defibrillators or AEDs are programmed to first determine if a person needs the shock and then delivers it. AEDs were designed so that lay people could also use them. When the pads are applied to the victim, the AED is able to determine if a shock is necessary. If it is necessary, it will then deliver the necessary shock and then instruct those on what steps should be taken next. If defibrillators or AEDs are not available, CPR should be provided until further care is available.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest rarely occurs in athletes but when it does it can be particularly shocking. Typically for those who are under the age of 35 and experience sudden cardiac arrest, it is most often due to a congenital heart condition. For those over the age of 35 it is most often due to coronary artery disease.

The American Heart Association recommends screening high school and collegiate athletes for cardiac disease. Their recommendations include the following;

Complete and careful evaluation of personal family history to look for evidence of cardiac disease
Yearly physical exam
Screening should be repeated every two years

At Medical Jurisprudence, Inc, our medical legal consulting services can help you be successful with your medical related cases. As with cases that involve Sudden Cardiac Arrest, our medical legal services will be tailored to meet your needs. Contact us today at 630-551-0978 or info@medicaljurisprudence.com to find out how your practice will benefit from having Medical Jurisprudence, Inc on your side.

Brain Cancer: Malignant Gliomas
Malignant Gliomas are tumors of the central nervous system and are located in the brain. Tumors which are found in the brain are noted to be either primary or secondary tumors. Primary tumors originate in the brain and can metastasize to other locations and secondary tumors originate elsewhere in the body and metastasize to the brain... [More]

View Past Case Archives

Don’t miss the opportunity to sign up for our monthly eNewsletter, The Pulse. You will find reading the articles written in The Pulse to be a worthwhile investment of your time. Please also consider sending our website information on to colleagues who may also benefit for the vast array of services that we offer.
Sign Up Now

Our list of educational opportunities has just been released. These informative sessions are presented in your office. Contact us for a list of these opportunities and to discuss ways we can customize our presentations to meet your needs.

We are proud of our services and confident that you will find them to be a benefit to your practice. That is why we offer a Risk Free Guarantee. If you are unsatisfied with our services, we will make every attempt to amend them. However, if you still remain unsatisfied you will receive a refund.