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Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) has received a fair amount of press lately, generally in connection with high school athletes. The unfortunate truth is that seemingly healthy children sitting in class can and do suddenly collapse from an undetected heart condition.
And it is not just students. School staffs and visitors are at risk as well. The Heart Rhythm Foundation, a heart health advocacy group, says, “Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for an estimated 325,000 deaths each year.”
People who have heart disease are at higher risk for SCA. However, it can happen in people who appear healthy and have no known heart disease or other risk factors for SCA.
SCA is not a heart attack; a heart attack is a “plumbing problem” that takes place due to plugged arteries. The victim is often still conscious and responsive. SCA may occur following or while in recovery from a heart attack.
An SCA event is an “electrical problem” that creates irregular heartbeats called arrhythmias. SCA generally happens without warning and leaves the victim unresponsive.
Most people who have Sudden Cardiac Arrest die from it — often within minutes. Rapid treatment of SCA with a defibrillator can be lifesaving.
–The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute says, “Most people who have SCA die from it — often within minutes. Rapid treatment of SCA with a defibrillator can be lifesaving. A defibrillator is a device that sends an electric shock to the heart to try to restore its normal rhythm.” The NHLBI adds, “Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) can be used by bystanders to save the lives of people who are having SCA. These portable devices should be found in public places, such as shopping malls, golf courses, businesses, airports, airplanes, casinos, convention centers, hotels, sports venues and schools.”
Similar recommendations are being made by a large number of national organizations, including the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association, to name a few.
Local jurisdictions in many locations nationwide are enacting ordinances to require AEDs in schools. The South Jordan Public Access Defibrillation or PAD ordinance is one example.
State legislatures also have begun to take note. Most states, including Utah, encourage AED placement in schools. In two states, California and New York, AEDs in schools are mandated. There is ongoing discussion at the national legislative level as well.
The research has concluded that an AED in a school can save lives. “The majority of individuals who had a cardiac arrest in a high school survived to hospital discharge if an automated external defibrillator was on site,” according to Dr. Jonathan Drezner of the University of Washington in Seattle. The study focused on high schools, but it would seem that all school buildings would have a similar result.
AED devices have increased in capacity and ease of use and dropped in price over the last several years. Ease of use allows for more comprehensive and less expensive training programs, and the lower prices are more budget friendly.
Cardiac care experts agree that treatment with an automated external defibrillator is the standard of care for victims of sudden cardiac arrest. This makes the decision to deploy AEDs a simple matter of risk management and cheap insurance for schools and other large facilities.
