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Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) results in over
350,000 deaths in the United States every year.
SCA kills more people than breast cancer, lung cancer,
stroke andAIDS combined. Yet most people are unaware
of what SCA is and who is at highest risk. SCA is not a
heart attack but a lethal heart rhythm called ventricular
fibrillation. Unless electrical cardioversion (an interrupt-
ing electrical current) is performed within minutes, the
rhythm is fatal.
H O W D O I K N O W I F I A M A T R I S K
F O R S C A ?
Although there are many causes of SCA, including he-
reditary and congenital diseases, damage or scarring in
the heart from prior heart attacks or viral illness is one
of the strongest predictors of risk for SCA.
Ameasure of heart function called the ejection fraction
provides information about the severity of heart dam-
age and potential risk for SCA. The ejection fraction is a
measure of howwell the heart muscle squeezes to pump
blood. A smaller percentage reflects more damage. A
normal ejection fraction is greater than 55 percent and
an ejection fraction of less than 35 percent is associated
with an increased risk of SCA and is an indication to
consider further treatment.
W H A T C A N B E D O N E T O P R O T E C T M E
F R O M S C A ?
If you have a low EF, even if you feel well, you are at
increased risk for SCA.
An implantable cardiac de-
fibrillator provides the best
protection from SCA. Similar
to a pacemaker, an implantable
cardiac defibrillator can act as
a pacemaker to prevent slow
heart rhythms. But more im-
portantly, it can automatically
detect ventricular fibrillation
and shock the heart back to a
normal rhythm.
Timothy Lessmeier,
M.D., is a cardiologist/
electrophysiologist with
Heart Clinics Northwest.
22
ASK THE EXPERT
Q:
My doctor says I may be at risk for
sudden cardiac arrest. What is it—
and what types of people are at risk?
D I S C O V E R
For more information, facts and resources, go
to
KootenaiHealth.org/Heart
.