SCA — the plain-language one-pager.

What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest?Diagnosis

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is when the heart suddenly stops pumping — usually because of a chaotic electrical rhythm (ventricular fibrillation or pulseless VT). Within seconds the person collapses, stops breathing normally, and has no pulse. Without CPR and a shock from an AED within minutes, survival drops about 10% for every minute that passes. SCA is different from a heart attack — a heart attack is a plumbing problem (a blocked artery); SCA is an electrical problem. A heart attack can cause SCA, but most SCA happens at home, often without warning.

• The Chain of Survival — Early recognition + 911 → Early CPR (push hard, push fast) → Early defibrillation (AED) → Advanced care + post-arrest hospital care → Recovery and rehab. The first three links happen in the first 10 minutes — and they are done by bystanders, not by EMS.
• Top risk factors: prior heart attack, heart failure, low ejection fraction (≤35%), arrhythmias, family history of SCA or sudden death before 50, hereditary syndromes (Long QT, HCM, Brugada, ARVC), drug overdose, severe electrolyte imbalances. Many SCA victims had no prior diagnosis.
• If you survived an SCA, you are an SCA survivor — about 1 in 10 do. The program is about preventing the next event with an ICD if indicated, medication adherence, treating the underlying cause, and rebuilding your life.
• If you are a family member of someone at risk, you may be the one with the AED in your hand. Learn CPR. Know where the nearest AED is. Have a family emergency plan. Cardiac genetic screening may be appropriate.

If you witness a collapse — the first 4 minutesAct now

Survival from SCA depends almost entirely on what bystanders do in the first 4 minutes. EMS averages 8–10 minutes. You are the difference.

• Second 0–10 — Tap and shout. Look for normal breathing. Gasping is NOT normal — it is an SCA sign. If unresponsive + not breathing normally → this is cardiac arrest.
• Second 10–30 — Yell for help. Call 911 (use speaker). Send a bystander for an AED — say "I need an AED, NOW." Do not wait alone.
• Minute 1–4 — Start hands-only CPR. Center of chest, push 2 inches deep, 100–120 per minute (think "Stayin' Alive"). Do not stop until the AED arrives.
• When AED arrives — Turn it on. Follow voice prompts. Place pads on bare, dry chest. "Clear!" Press shock when prompted. Resume CPR immediately after shock or no-shock. Keep going until EMS takes over or person wakes.

Bystander CPR doubles or triples survival. Public-access AED + CPR pushes survival to 50%+. The skills are in this program — see the Skills Lab CPR + AED rubrics.

Your daily Force FieldLive It

• Take cardiac medications every day — beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, statins, antiarrhythmics, anticoagulants if prescribed. Missing doses raises arrest risk.
• If you have an ICD, know your shock plan — what to do if it fires, when to call your team, who to call.
• Keep your ejection fraction in check — heart failure with low EF is a top SCA driver. Take HF meds, follow weight + sodium plan.
• Cardiac rehab if you are a survivor — the structured program cuts mortality by ~25%. Start within weeks of discharge.
• Family screening — if SCA in your family before 50, talk to a cardiologist and genetic counselor about screening for hereditary syndromes.
• Train your household in CPR + AED — the person most likely to save you is the person you live with. Free Heartsaver / hands-only CPR classes are everywhere.
• Know where the AEDs are — workplace, gym, school, place of worship, neighborhood. AED maps in PulsePoint and similar apps.
• No tobacco. Limit alcohol. Treat sleep apnea — all three raise SCA risk by triggering arrhythmias.

Red flags — call nowAction

• Call your clinic the same day for: new chest discomfort with exertion that goes away with rest (stable angina worth evaluating); a missed dose of antiplatelet or statin; medication side effects (muscle aches, bleeding, GI symptoms).
• Bring up at next visit: any change in exercise tolerance, lipid follow-up timing, BP log review, smoking-cessation support, depression screening, sleep concerns.