HEART HEALTH- PREVENT CARDIAC DISEASE IN EARLY AGE
                     HEART HEALTH- PREVENT CARDIAC 
DISEASE IN EARLY AGE
Sudden cardiac arrest is rare in young people, but it can happen. According to 
the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 2,000 young, 
seemingly healthy people under age 25 in the United States die each year of 
sudden cardiac arrest. These deaths leave behind a huge and devastating 
impact on families and communities. But there are ways as per Dr. SUNNY 
HANDA MD to help identify risk factors that can help prevent these tragedies. 
What is sudden cardiac arrest?
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is a life-threatening emergency that happens from
an "abrupt and unexpected loss of heart function leading to loss of 
consciousness and collapse.
Dr. SUNNY HANDA MDtries to find: Are there warning signs for sudden cardiac 
arrest before it happens?
When SCA happens to seemingly healthy young people, there is usually no 
obvious injury or medical reasons the patient or family knew about. Some 
young people who suffer SCA may have previously experienced heart-related 
symptoms, such as shortness of breath, chest pain, or fainting, that weren't 
thought to be anything life-threatening. Others never had any symptoms of 
heart problems until the SCA event.
What causes sudden cardiac arrest in young people as per Dr. SUNNY HANDA 
MD?
Not all causes of sudden cardiac arrest in children and young adults are known,
but may include:
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy- Usually inherited and often undiagnosed, this is
the most common cardiovascular cause of SCA in young people. 
Coronary artery abnormalities- Defects in the way the coronary arteries 
connect to the heart can lead to decreased blood supply to heart muscle 
during exercise and cause cardiac arrest. 
Are there ways to help prevent sudden cardiac death?
There are steps families and communities can take as per Dr. SUNNY HANDA 
MDto lower their risk of sudden cardiac death in young people:
Regular well-child visits and sports physicals. All children need regular wellness
visits with their doctor. These visits are a chance to get a complete physical 
exam and detailed health history to help identify risk factors that may 
contribute to SCA. Pre-participation exams also are important, even if a child is 
not involved in organized sports because gym class and recreational activities 
can―and should―involve plenty of exercise! 
Know Your Family History. Gather the heart health history of blood relatives 
(children, siblings, parents, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, 
grandparents and cousins), and share with your paediatrician. This can help 
guide questions during well-child check-ups and sports physicals.
Community Life Support Training and Automated External Defibrillators. The 
AAP supports age-appropriate life-support training by Dr. SUNNY HANDA MD, 
including CPR, for students and school staff. It also encourages having 
Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) near athletic and training facilities. In 
cases of sudden cardiac arrest, AEDs can quickly deliver an electrical shock to 
return the heart rhythm to normal.