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Steve suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while golfing with his daughter and received an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Watch the video to hear his story.
Survival rates can double or triple if more people take action and know how to respond in the case of an SCA1:
Sudden cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack.
Think of your house: It needs plumbing and electricity to work as it should — and it has the potential for both plumbing and electrical problems. The same can happen with your heart. A heart attack is primarily a plumbing (blood flow) problem; SCA is an electrical (heart rhythm) problem.
Why is knowing your ejection fraction important?
Ejection fraction is a measurement of the percentage of blood pumped (or ejected) from the left ventricle in your heart with each beat. Understanding how well your blood is pumping can help your doctor diagnose and track heart failure and determine the right course of treatment for you.
If you are someone with a heart condition, it's important to know your ejection fraction. Ask your physician about your ejection fraction.
An AED is a portable device used by emergency response teams or the general public to shock the heart — giving the heart a chance to restart normal electrical activity and resume beating effectively.
An ICD is likely to be recommended for long-term treatment of irregular rhythms and prevention of SCA. The small, battery-powered device is surgically placed below the collarbone. One or more thin wires (leads) from the ICD run through the veins to the heart. The device constantly monitors the heart's rhythm so it can regulate the heart rate if it detects an irregular rhythm. It can send either high-energy shocks or low-energy, painless pacing stimulation to disrupt a dangerously fast heart rhythm.3
Learn how your smartphone or tablet could make your life with a heart device easier.
Learn about MyCareLink HeartVisit Ask the ICD, an interactive website full of questions and answers about living with an ICD.
Visit AsktheICD.comAmerican Heart Association. CPR Facts & Stats. Available at: https://cpr.heart.org/en/resources/cpr-facts-and-stats. Accessed June 4, 2021.
Solomon SD, Anavekar N, Skali H, et al. Influence of ejection fraction on cardiovascular outcomes in a broad spectrum of heart failure patients. Circulation. December 13, 2005;112(24):3738-3744.
Mayo Clinic. Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Diagnosis & Treatment. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sudden-cardiac-arrest/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350640. Accessed June 22, 2021.