News Summary

• Sudden cardiac arrest kills 436,000 Americans each year.
• It is more deadly than colorectal cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, influenza, pneumonia, auto accidents, HIV, firearms, and house fires combined.
• It can strike young, apparently healthy adults, even professional athletes, and more often than not (80 percent of the time, in fact), it occurs outside of a hospital.
• Historically, funding for scientific research on cardiac arrest has been low when compared to other diseases.