Download Sudden Cardiac Death and Coronary Artery Disease

Prevention of Sudden
Cardiac Death
Ali Shakir, MD
Medical Director, Electrophysiology Services
Henry Ford Macomb Hospital
September 17th, 2011
Objectives
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is Sudden Cardiac Death
(SCD)?
Background
Heart Function
AED
Normal Heart Beat
Sudden Cardiac Death
Definition
The term sudden cardiac death refers to natural death
from cardiac causes, heralded by abrupt loss of
consciousness within one hour of the onset of acute
symptoms
A sudden, unexpected loss of heart function. The
term "death" is somewhat misleading because some
people survive
Typically resulting from a sudden change in the rhythm
of the heart
Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Facts
SCA claims an estimated 325,000 lives each year
1,000 lives every day, one life every two
minutes
SCA accounts for half of all cardiac-related deaths
Over half of SCA victims have no prior symptoms
Survival requires emergency medical intervention
and defibrillation within the first few minutes
following arrest
The survival rate is as high as 90 percent if
treatment is initiated within the first few minutes
following arrest
1Heart
Rhythm Society. “Sudden Cardiac Arrest Facts”. 2008. HRS Online Feb 2009
Epidemiology
40,410
18,017
SCA
Lung Cancer
Breast Cancer
163,510
325,000
AIDS
More people die from sudden cardiac arrest than from AIDS,
breast cancer, and lung cancer combined 1
1Heart
Rhythm Society. “Sudden Cardiac Arrest Facts”. 2008. HRS Online Feb 2009
Know Your Ejection
Fraction

The ejection fraction is an estimate of the
amount of blood pumped out of the heart
chambers every beat
 Normal is > 55%
 Increased risk for sudden cardiac death are
those with ejection fraction < 35%
A man was riding his Harley along a
Michigan highway when suddenly the sky
clouded above his head and, in a booming
voice, God said,
'Because you have TRIED to be faithful to me
in all ways, I will grant you one wish.'
The biker pulled over and said,
'Build a bridge to Hawaii so I can
Ride over anytime I want.
God said, 'That request is materialistic, think of
the enormous challenges for that kind
of undertaking; the supports required to reach
the bottom of the Pacific and the concrete and steel
it would take!
It will nearly exhaust several natural resources.
I can do it, but it is hard for me to justify your desire
for worldly things.
Take a little more time and think of something that
could possibly help mankind.'
The biker thought about it for a long time.
Finally, he said, 'Okay, I wish that I, and
all men, could understand
our wives; I want to know how
she feels inside, what she's thinking
when she gives me the silent
treatment, why she cries, what she
means when she says
'nothing's wrong', and how I can make
a woman truly happy.
And God replied, 'You want two lanes
or four lanes on that bridge?'
Automated External
Defibrillator (AED)

AED is a portable
electronic device
which
automatically
diagnoses cardiac
arrhythmias and
treats through
defibrillation
(shock to the
heart)
Time is Critical

For every minute that a person in cardiac
arrest goes without being resuscitated, the
chance of survival decreases by 7 percent
per minute
 After/while calling 911, AED can provide
life saving capabilities
AED

Designed to be used by
non health care
professionals
 Majority of units have
spoken prompts to instruct
the user
 Can be found in public
areas
 Often brightly colored and
found near entrance

AED will instruct the
user to connect the
pads to the bare chest
of the patient
 After connected,
everyone should
avoid touching the
patient as this can
interfere with
detection of the heart
rhythm
 If dangerous rhythm
is found, it will
automatically deliver
a shock
AED
Future Directions
Teach Basic Life Support and Advanced
Life Support Classes for those who are
interested
Increase availability of AEDs in public
places
Educate more individuals regarding use of
CONCLUSIONS



Know your ejection fraction (Heart
Function)
Know where AEDs are located and
understand basic function
Great tool for saving lives
Questions?