The leading cause of death of death in the United States is sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). It strikes without warning in many cases. A person may be healthy as far as they know but yet suddenly succumb to a deadly cardiac arrest. The mere words cardiac arrest is enough to instill fear in anyone's mind. It is the nation's number one killer as most of us already know. Many people have suffered the loss of a family member, friend, or co worker from this deadly condition. It is difficult to know if you are at risk because often there are few or no warnings before the first episode, which can often be fatal.



Sudden cardiac arrest refers to the heart suddenly failing as a result of the interruption of blood flow to it. Arrhythmia refers to an irregular heartbeat. A rapid heartbeat is called ventricular tachycardia or VT. An irregular heartbeat is called ventricular fibrillation or VF. These are medical terms doctors use to describe a rapid or irregular heartbeat. These conditions can result in sudden death to the one suffering from the condition. Most people refer to these as heart attacks, when actually they are actually cardiac arrests in physician's terms. Either one of these conditions can cause sudden death without any warning.

A heart attack occurs when a clot forms somewhere in the body and blocks blood flow to the heart, this will result in death if not treated quickly. A cardiac arrest happens when the brain fails to send the right signal to the heart and therefore blood is not circulated through the body as it should be. Death from this can occur very quickly, there is no time to waste in this circumstance.

Sudden cardiac arrest can occur in people who have no history of heart problems. Often the first attack is deadly. A person's lifestyle plays a big part in the risk of heart disease. Smoking, family history, and other factors have to be taken into consideration when dealing with this problem. A healthier lifestyle will help reduce your risk of dying from a cardiac arrest. Get regular checkups and inform your doctor of any risk factors you may have. High blood pressure, diabetes, and being overweight increase your risks also. Your doctor can perform tests to see if you have any apparent heart problems.

Many people do not survive their first cardiac arrest. Time is the key to surviving. Once a person has an episode of cardiac arrest they need immediate treatment, without it most do not recover. There is not enough time for an ambulance to arrive on the scene; in most cases it is too late. A Zoll AED Plus can make the difference between life and death. It can provide emergency treatment to victims in time to save their lives. If you are at high risk for a cardiac arrest or have a friend or family member who is, look into getting one of these.