Each year, nearly 325,000 deaths are caused by sudden cardiac arrest, making it the leading cause of death among Americans. Luckily, Northern KY Emergency Medical Services is available to provide helpful education, safety training, and cardiac screenings. This Fort Thomas health emergency training facility provides heart screenings for people of all ages, starting at the age of 6, to help avoid loss of life from sudden cardiac arrest.

Sudden cardiac arrest, or SCA, occurs when the heart suddenly loses its ability to function, causing loss of consciousness and breathing. This almost always results in sudden cardiac death. What makes SCA different from a heart attack is that the heart stops working completely. In a heart attack, the muscle itself still functions, but blood flow is blocked which can, in turn, cause cardiac arrest.

Children and young adults are especially at risk for SCA since cardiac conditions are unexpected in people under a certain age. If a condition is present, it's likely to go unnoticed and untreated. To ensure that children and young adults are healthy, and to prevent SCA death rates from rising, the well-trained staff at Northern KY Emergency Medical Services performs cardiac screenings to look for potential problems that could lead to SCA. As part of the screening, patients will have their blood pressures checked and their family medical histories reviewed. Additionally, an electrocardiogram, or EKG, will be done to make sure the heart’s electrical activity is within normal range.

To learn more about health training or to register for a low-cost cardiac screening, give Northern KY Emergency Medical Services a call at (859) 572-4511, or visit their website.