Frequently Asked Questions

What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest or SCA? 

Sudden cardiac arrest is the sudden, unexpected loss of heart function, breathing and consciousness. Sudden cardiac arrest usually results from an electrical disturbance in your heart that disrupts its pumping action, stopping blood flow to the rest of your body.

 

Sudden cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack, which occurs when blood flow to a portion of the heart is blocked. However, a heart attack can sometimes trigger an electrical disturbance that leads to sudden cardiac arrest.

 

Sudden cardiac arrest is a life-threatening emergency. If not treated immediately, it causes sudden cardiac death. With fast, bystander action, survival is possible. Administering rapid compressions to the chest can double and even triple the chances of survival until emergency personnel arrive.

 

What is Sudden Cardiac Death or SCD?

Sudden cardiac death is often due to hidden heart defects or overlooked heart abnormalities. When these sudden deaths do occur, it's often during physical activity, such as a sporting event but not always, SCD can happen to anyone, at anytime, and any where.

 

Sudden cardiac death occurs when the heart's electrical system malfunctions. The treatment is the same whether this event occurs on the street, in a school, or in the hospital. The victim must receive immediate chest compressions and defibrillation for the best chance at survival. If this does not happen fast, the person dies.

 

Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Sudden Cardiac Death are often used interchangably.

Sudden cardiac death or arrest symptoms are sudden and drastic:

  • Sudden collapse
  • No pulse
  • No breathing
  • Loss of consciousness
  • 55% of the time witnesses report the event as a seizure

Sometimes, other signs and symptoms precede sudden cardiac arrest. These may include fatigue, fainting, blackouts, dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness, palpitations or vomiting. But sudden cardiac arrest often occurs with no warning.

 

What is a Heart Attack?

A heart attack usually occurs when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood through a coronary artery — a blood vessel that feeds blood to a part of the heart muscle. This interrupted blood flow to the heart can damage or destroy a part of the heart muscle causing systoms, pain, or even death.

 

When a victim is having a heart attack they are awake and have symptoms. This is different than a cardiac arest where the victim has no warning and simply collapses and immediately loses consciousness.

 

Common heart attack symptoms include:

  • Pressure, a feeling of fullness or a squeezing pain in the center of your chest that lasts for more than a few minutes
  • Pain extending beyond your chest to your shoulder, arm, back, or even to your teeth and jaw
  • Increasing episodes of chest pain
  • Prolonged pain in the upper abdomen
  • Shortness of breath
  • Sweating
  • Impending sense of doom
  • Fainting
  • Nausea and vomiting

Additional, or different, heart attack symptoms in women may include:

  • Abdominal pain or heartburn
  • Clammy skin
  • Lightheadedness or dizziness
  • Unusual or unexplained fatigue

If a friend, co-worker, or loved one is having any of these symptoms CALL 911 IMMEDIATLY!

 

What is Cardio-Pulmonary Resusitation or CPR?

Cardio-Pulmonary Resusitation is an emergency procedure consisting of external cardiac massage (chest compressions) and artificial respiration (mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-mask). It is the first treatment for a person who has collapsed and has no pulse and has stopped breathing. By perfroming the chest compression the rescuer attempts to restore circulation of the blood and prevent death or brain damage due to lack of oxygen.

 

Without immedicate CPR the victim of a cardiac arrest only has a 1% chance of walking out of the hospital. 

 

AHA states that it is better to do chest compressions on someone who may not need it than to not do chest compressions on someone who does need it.  

The reality is that if you perfrom chest compressions and the victim says "ouch" then STOP!

 

The NEW Steps to CPR: Push hard and fast at least 2 inches and at least 100 times per minute until the victim moves, moans or groans, an AED arrives, or advanced care takes over.

 

What is an Automated External Defibrillator or AED? 

It’s a safe, self-activated tool that helps to stop the quivering heart of a SCA victim. It is the only effective method used to help reestablish a normal heartbeat. Chest compressions are the manual form of pumping blood through a body and are to be administered until an AED arrives. Using an AED and performing immediate chest compressions are critical to saving the life of a SCA victim. For every minute you delay there is a 10% less chance of survival. An AED will not shock someone who does not need a shock. 

 

Can I be sued or held responsible if the victim dies?

No. Remember the person in cardiac arrest is already clinically dead. Chest compressions and AEDs can only help. Even if it's not done perfect it will most likely provide some benefit to the victim. It is much better to do something than nothing!

 

The State of Hawaii has a wonderful Good Samaritan AED Law, you do not need to be certified or trained to use an AED or perform chest compressions. There is no liabilty to any employer, organization, or user of an AED. For a copy of the bill that became law in 2007 and again in 2009 call us we will send you a copy for your own records. 808.440.8988

 

How can I help? 

First, learn when and how to perfrom chest compressions and use an AED. Call us to come to your school or location for a FREE hands-on awareness class.

 

Second, join us to help teach others. Become an instructor and advocate for saving lives in your own community.

 

Third, DONATE! By donating to Hawaii Heart Foundation you are helping to support those who can teach others to save lives. No amount is too small.

 

And of course, make sure that your children's school is a Heart-Safe School. School is supposed to be a safe place and no life should be lost on a school campus.

 

DONATE TODAY!