10/23/2026
October Is
National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month
Sudden Cardiac Arrest is a leading cause of death in the United States, taking the lives of more than 356,0001 people each year, including more than 23,0002 youth under age 18.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest vs. Heart Attack
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is not a heart attack. A heart attack is caused by impeded blood flow through the heart. SCA is caused by a structural or electrical problem, often from an undetected heart condition, and in other instances, from an infection or a severe blow to the chest.
Survival Rate
The sudden cardiac arrest survival rate is less than 10%. As noted by the National Academy of Medicine’s Strategies to Improve Cardiac Arrest Survival: A Time To Act, the survival rate has remained stagnant for three decades because the public is not prepared to save a life. Survival depends on emergency intervention beyond calling 911 within three minutes of collapse. A bystander administering hands-only CPR can triple a person’s chance of survival, and using an AED in the first minute of collapse can increase survival to 90%.
