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What is Sudden Cardiac Death?
According to the American Heart Association, over 17,000 Texans will suffer from sudden cardiac arrest in 2007. Unfortunately only five percent of all sudden cardiac arrest victims survive.
When the heart suddenly and unexpectedly begins to beat in an irregular rhythm this is known as sudden cardiac death (SCD) or sudden cardiac arrest. The heart’s internal electric system controls the rhythm of the heartbeat, and an irregularity of the electrical impulses can cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow, or to stop beating.
Although CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, can keep oxygenated blood flowing to the brain and heart, the victim’s heart will ultimately need to be defibrillated to survive. Every minute that passes before returning the victim’s heart to a normal rhythm causes the chance of survival to drop by 10 percent.
SCD in Young Athletes
Warning Signs of SCD
Diagnosing SCD
Pediatric Echocardiograms
Project Heart Safe
Free Babysitter Magnet Board
Sudden Cardiovascular Death in Young Competitive Athletes
At the start of the new school year, reports of seemingly healthy athletes who die suddenly on the football field make the local news.
Some young athletes who die suddenly are found to have a previously unknown heart defect with which they were born. Screening young athletes before they begin competition with an echocardiogram (echo) may identify potentially deadly heart problems. An echo uses sound waves to create a moving picture of the heart allowing physicians and specialized technicians to view all the chambers of the heart.
Warning Signs of Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Fainting, chest pain, difficulty breathing and dizziness with exercise can all be warning signs of heart problems and warrant attention. Parents and teenagers should take them seriously, and see a doctor. Taking precautionary measures can help ease the minds of both parents and students concerned about sudden death.
How Is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Diagnosed?
Diagnostic echocardiograms can be used to detect if you or your child has a condition that could result in sudden cardiac death. Echocardiograms use sound waves to create a moving picture of the heart.
Echocardiogram provides information about the size and shape of the heart and how well the heart c hambers and valves are functioning. The test also can identify areas of poor blood flow to the heart, areas of heart muscle that are not contracting normally, and previous injury to the heart muscle caused by poor blood flow.
Convenient Pediatric Echocardiograms Available in North Houston
Houston Northwest Medical Center’s Heart Center is a cardiac care facility with dedicated cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons, and a host of technological capabilities. We pride ourselves on providing a variety of advanced cardiovascular services, both diagnostic and therapeutic, in a caring setting.
Dedicated to properly diagnosing and treating heart disease in pediatric patients and preventing incidences of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in adolescents, Houston Northwest Medical Center is one of the first hospitals to offer this non-invasive diagnostic evaluation in the northwest community. Diagnostic echocardiograms are available from infancy.
Project Heart Safe
Houston Northwest Medical Center is committed to helping prevent the tragedies of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in school-age children and adolescents. Project Heart Safe is an educational and community awareness program offered by Houston Northwest Medical Center that is designed to provide schools with information that could be used to prevent sudden cardiac death in the school setting.
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Keeping Your Kids Safe While You Are Away
Call 1-877-725-1555 to receive a free Project Heart Safe babysitter magnet board today. Post the board on your fridge for your children and their caregivers to have easy access to the important contact numbers and details they need to know in case of an emergency. You can never be too careful when it comes to your family’s safety! |
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To learn more about Project Heart Safe, call 1-877-725-1555 or visit the Project Heart Safe Web site
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