4th Annual Sudden Cardiac Arrest: From Awareness to Prevention 2011

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is one of the leading causes of death in the United States claiming more lives than lung cancer, breast cancer and AIDS combined. Each year more than 335,000 people die of SCA (a sudden and abrupt loss of heart function caused by a chaotic heart rhythm disturbance, resulting in death, if not prevented with early defibrillation). Heart rhythm problems that result in SCA are related to the electrical impulses and muscle strength of the heart and can attack anyone of almost any age. Despite best practice efforts, it is estimated that only 20-30% of those that have indication or are at risk for SCA are receiving treatment to prevent it.

This educational activity will provide the attendee with the knowledge necessary to identify, to treat and/or to refer patients to treatment in order to prevent SCA. Some of the topics to be presented will be an up-to-date review of the causes of SCA, current and future risk stratification for predicting SCA, a current review of genetic predisposition to SCA and therapies available to protect those at risk for SCA. In addition, discussion of various disease states such as congestive heart failure, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and their relation to SCA will take place. Racial and gender differences in identification of those at risk for SCA and in statistics regarding survival of SCA will be presented. This program will provide attendees with information on clinical pathways to capture those at risk for SCA.

Target Audience
The program s target audience will include primary care physicians, cardiologists, electrophysiologists, nurses, emergency medical technicians, and other health care professionals with an interest in arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Arrest prevention.