Sudden Cardiac Death How common is it ? “Of the 728,743 heart disease deaths in 1999, 462,340 (63.4%) were defined as sudden cardiac deaths (SCD). These high numbers of sudden deaths from heart disease, and the fact that they occur outside of the hospital, are alarming," Jeffrey P. Koplan, MD, MPH

Director, Centre for Disease Control, Feb 2002

In Ireland, this corresponds to some 6,000 sudden cardiac deaths annually

What is sudden Cardiac Death ? • Cardiac arrest • • • • • • •

‘A massive heart attack’ He ‘just dropped dead’ He ‘died in his sleep’ ‘A massive stroke’ ‘A huge clot to his heart’ Cot death Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) • Sudden Heart Failure • Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS)

Death occurring within one hour of onset of symptoms due to cardiac causes

Normal Rhythm

Ventricular Tachycardia

Ventricular Fibrillation

2 8 year old man who died suddenly while wearing a cardiac monitor

Valvular Heart Disease

Viral

Hypertrophic

Myocarditis

Cardiomyopathy Dilated

Drugs

Cardiomyopathy

Commotio

Ventricular

Cordis

Fibrillation

Channelopathy

Electrocution Coronary

Wolf-Parkinson White Syndrome

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Artery Disease

Time from Collapse

Normal Rhythm

Ventricular Tachycardia

Likelihood of success with defibrillation

0 mins

>90%

2 mins

80%

10 mins