Know the facts about Sudden Cardiac Awareness

SCA is the leading cause of death in student athletes, that is a fact. Reports show every year 10,000 young people die from SCA.  Many appear healthy and have no known family history of heart-related illness. Although medical tests can detect the presence of heart concerns, many insurance companies generally do not cover their costs without the presence of symptoms or a family history of heart problems and many times if there are none, parent's do not pursue the test.

Typically, SCA symptoms are silent until it is too late. As a result, screening is critical to prevention. An echocardiogram can detect the potential for SCA with 99% accuracy and many of the problems detected can be treated or corrected. For this reason it is essential that screening be done at an early age.
Warning signs and symptoms of SCA: 
• Family history of unexpected sudden death during physical activity or during a seizure, or any other unexplained sudden death of an otherwise healthy family member under age 50  
• Unexplained fainting or seizures 
• Fainting of seizure during or after physical activity
• Fainting or seizure resulting from emotional excitement, distress or startle
• Chest pain or discomfort/ racing heartbeat • Dizziness/ lightheadedness during or after physical activity 
• Family history of heart disease
• Unusual shortness of breath
• Unusual fatigue/tiredness

If you are someone you love are having any of these signs or symptoms, please do not delay. Contact a physician today and don't wait! Prevention is the most important thing and a heart screening will tell if there is some underlying condition.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest's - Did you knows?

Do you know the story of Zachary Schrah?
Do you know why Karen Schrah started the non-profit organization called - Living for Zachary?
Do you know that Zach Schrah was a perfectly normal and healthy young man who had never had any medical history of heart disease?
Do you know that Zachary Schrah's life might have been saved if there had been a AED on the football field?

Listen to the story of Zach Schrah and find out why his Mother, Karen Schrah made it her mission to bring awareness to others about SCA, Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

Heart Screening as a Precaution

With the recent death of Joan Rivers and her outpatient vocal chord procedure the topic of preparedness arises and can benefit all. 

At Living for Zachary we encourage all to be prepared with your health and have your heart screened, especially before you start an activity that could be hard on your heart or a medical procedure. 

With Heart disease many factors can come into play especially when you have a procedure

performed. Anesthesia, reactions to certain types of drugs, blood pressure changes, changes to your heart - all of these can add risk to the equation.

Heart Screening could save your life and the life of anyone, especially before a medical procedure. Changes can occur over the years with your health and your heat so heart screening can benefit anyone, especially youth heart screening. 

The mission of Living for Zachary is dedication to the awareness of Sudden Cardiac Awareness (SCA) in youth and saving the lives of others through community education and SCA Events. Promoting youth heartscreenings, student scholarships and donating AEDs to youth based organizations is our primary focus. However, we encourage all to have their heart screened, it’s your heart – take care of it and listen to it.

Another life lost - Joan Rivers

Cardiac Arrest is probably not something any of us would expect to be experiencing when going to a clinic for a fairly straight-forward, somewhat non-invasive procedure. With the recent unexplained and surprising death of Joan Rivers many have been discussing details about the events right before emergency response was called to the scene. 

Thoughts about these types of procedures and what can happen often vary and now with the death of Joan Rivers,  SCA (Sudden CardiacArrest) is once again brought to the surface of discussion as a popular comedian loses her life to SCA.

If you are over 35 in good health or not and if you’re going to have any kind of procedure done, it is imperative that you ask questions of the medical professionals in that particular office. Find out if all licenses are up to date and all staff is trained in CPR. Check office references and ask around about the office and staff.

Joan Rivers simply was an outpatient seeing a Gastroenterologist for a procedure on her vocal chords. As with most procedures where someone is sedated, medical instruments would have been inserted into her throat. Unfortunately we don’t have all of the details but essentially something went terribly wrong. Medical professionals and Law Enforcement are still investigating Joan River’s death and if she had a history of any heart disease and exactly what took place in that procedure room on September 4th. Again, the death of Joan Rivers should certainly should bring additional awareness to everyone about heart issues and Sudden Cardiac Arrest and what it means to be prepared and aware.