The top 3 things that raise the risk of SCA

Although Sudden Cardiac Arrest can happen to anyone, there are risk factors that can make you more susceptible to SCA.

Previous Heart Attack

As the leading risk factor of SCA, a heart attack can result in coronary artery disease (the most common type of heart disease) which can trigger ventricular fibrillation and SCA. Heart attacks can also leave scar tissue areas from which electrical short circuits can occur around, leading to abnormalities in the heart rhythm.

Smoking

It is already know that smoking is terrible for your lungs, but smoking also leads to coronary heart disease. Smoke accelerates the atherosclerotic process and enhances vulnerability to Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

Drug or Alcohol Abuse

Drugs can not only have a major effect on our brains, but also have adverse cardiovascular effects. These effects range from abnormal heart rate, heart attacks, and even Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Injection of illegal drugs can also lead to cardiovascular diseases

Alcohol is tolerable for the body in reasonable amounts. However, larger amounts of alcohol intake raises the risk of ventricular fibrillation. Vfib is a cardiac rhythm disturbance in which lower chambers of the heart quiver and make the heart unable to pump blood – causing Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

Even though there is no sure way of knowing your risk for SCA, you can take a quick risk assessment to gauge your likelihood of having sudden cardiac arrest here!

Did you know?

Steps you can take to reducing your risk include: screening for heart disease, getting regular checkups, and living a healthy lifestyle (no smoking, staying active, and using alcohol in moderation).

If you still have questions about Sudden Cardiac Arrest, you can always leave us a comment, give us a call at 800-580-1375, or email us at customerservice@aedbrands.com