Michael Jackson and Sudden Cardiac Arrest

The sudden and shocking death of Michael Jackson has brought to the limelight a growing epidemic in the United States: sudden cardiac arrest. Every two minutes, one American will die from sudden cardiac arrest or sudden cardiac death.
 
Sudden cardiac death occurs when the heart stops beating suddenly. The underlying causes may be many and varied. While heart attacks can cause sudden cardiac death, experiencing sudden cardiac arrest does not necessarily mean that a person suffered a heart attack. They are two different circumstances.
 
Once sudden cardiac arrest occurs, the heart is unable to circulate blood and oxygen throughout the body. Without CPR or quick restarting of the heart through the use of a defibrillator, the brain will begin to die of oxygen deprivation within 4 minutes.
 
Currently 20 percent of persons who suffer a sudden cardiac arrest will survive. These numbers could be improved with earlier use of AED’s or defibrillation. An AED is an automated device that allows anyone with access to the equipment to analyze the status of the heart and administer an electric shock to restart the heartbeat. AED’s are commonly found in shopping malls and large entertainment centers for emergency first aid response.
 
There is no way of knowing what caused Michael Jackson to experience sudden cardiac arrest until the results of the autopsy become final.