How should SCA be treated?
SCA is treatable most of the time, especially when it is due to an electrical abnormality called ventricular fibrillation (VF). Immediate treatment includes cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use of defibrillators. This treatment must be provided within moments of collapse to be effective, preferably within three to five minutes. Even the fastest emergency medical services may not be able to reach a victim this quickly. That is why prompt action by bystanders is so critical and why it is so important that more laypersons learn CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). Subsequent care includes administration of medications and other advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) techniques by emergency medical personnel. In patients who have been successfully resuscitated but remain in a coma after cardiac arrest due to VF, mild hypothermia can improve the chances of survival with good brain function. SCA survivors should see heart specialists (cardiologists and electroph
