Some startling facts about SCA
Each day around 650 patients suffer SCA related deaths. This number is higher than the deaths reported for victims of lung cancer, breast cancer, stroke, AIDS, all combined. Majority of the deaths related to cardio-vascular diseases are natural outcomes of the SCA and still most of the SCA deaths are found to go unreported.
Ninety five percent of the SCA victims collapse for not receiving medical attention in time. The present survival statistics reveal only 5 % positive results when defibrillation I delivered within the first 5 minutes. But if the treatment is made available within 4 to 6 minutes, the survival rate can be as high as 95 percent. Every minute delay initiates brain and permanent damage.
According to the data of the American Heart Association, 120,000 women fall victims to SCA. Chances for recovery for women are much less compared to that of men. SCA related deaths of women in the age bracket of 35 to 44 have increased in the past few years. But, not so in the case of men. According to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine, the African-Americans are more prone to SCA and also have one percent less chances of survival in comparison to the Caucasians.
The SCA victims do not have usually have any prior knowledge of their risks. Due to lack of awareness, they fail to recognize warning signs even if they have been present. More than two-thirds of the SCA deaths are found to transpire without any previous indication of heart disease.
Just anyone ca be a victim of SCA. They can be healthy infants, the fit and trim high school athletes and the active population in their 30s and 40s without any sign of a possible heart ailment.
Awareness programs must be seriously undertaken. Some cost-effective screening tool must be devised to ascertain the genetic conditions that can cause SCA. Information regarding the survival strategies can be obtained at www.AmericanMedSupply.com.
