What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest?
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) and Heart Attack are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Sudden cardiac arrest happens when there is an electrical problem with the heart causing the heart to malfunction and stop beating unexpectedly. It can happen anywhere, at any time, to anyone; and it’s almost always fatal.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Victim:
Unresponsive
Not breathing normally
Heart stopped
Needs CPR/AED
Golden
10 minutes
The first 10 minutes after the onset of a cardiac arrest is called the golden 10 minutes. The sooner appropriate action is taken, the lower the risk of brain damage and the higher the rate of survival.
Heart Attack
Heart attack happens when there is a circulation problem with the heart where blood flow to the heart is blocked causing the heart muscle to suffer damage.
Heart Attack Victim:
Responsive
Breathing
Heart beating
Doesn’t need CPR/AED
Golden
1 hour
The first hour after the onset of a heart attack is called the golden hour. Appropriate medical action within this hour can reverse its effects, so spotting the signs early and accessing medical treatment is critical.
1,000
people per day are affected by SCA, and it strikes all ages¹
>356K
people have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the U.S. every year²
4 min
after SCA, significant brain damage can occur³
50%
increase in SCA survival rates with bystander CPR and AED use⁴
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation Statistics is a review of the AHA Heart and Stroke Statistics - 2022 Update.
Benjamin EJ, Virani SS, Callaway CW, Chamberlain AM, Chang AR, Cheng S, Chiuve SE, Cushman M, Delling FN, Deo R, de Ferranti SD. Heart disease and stroke statistics—2018 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2018 Mar 20;137(12):e67-492. Table 16-1.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation. About sudden cardiac arrest. Accessed October 25, 2023.