by
Lauren Dubinsky, Senior Reporter | May 24, 2016
From the May 2016 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
AEDs at sporting events
Sudden cardiac death accounts for about 100 to 150 deaths per year at sporting events, according to the American Heart Association. Because of that, automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are becoming more prevalent at these events. “There are a couple of different disease factors that are usually inherited by young athletes that cause sudden cardiac deaths,” says Wayne Adams, clinical analyst at MD Buyline. “It’s usually at a sporting event that you see most of it happen.”
The majority of athletes who suffer sudden cardiac arrest on the field show no warning symptoms, according to USA Football. Because of that, the association believes it’s important that people know how to react if a cardiac event occurs and how to operate the AED equipment on-site. “We do see increased focus on sudden cardiac arrest and public access to defibrillation at all levels of sport, whether pro sports, youth leagues, at fitness centers or athletic clubs,” says Cam Pollock, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Physio-Control.
Physio-Control has a partnership with USA Football that helps equip youth football teams with AEDs. The company is also working to expand awareness of the importance of having ready access to AEDs. In April the company provided equipment and support to the medical teams at the Boston Marathon. “In cases of undiagnosed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, as just one example, a person may not know they are at risk for sudden cardiac arrest,” says Pollock. “Having a defibrillator nearby and in places where people are engaged in vigorous activity is an essential part of the chain of survival.”
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