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Heart Disease Weekly
February 2, 2003
SECTION: EXPANDED REPORTING; Pg. 9
LENGTH: 537 words
HEADLINE: CARDIAC ARREST: Ways to reduce death in schools focus of
defibrillation forum
BODY:
To help reduce the mortality of sudden cardiac arrest in young students,
school athletes and adults, the National Center for Early Defibrillation (NCED)
at the University of Pittsburgh hosted an issues forum, "Automated External
Defibrillators (AEDs) in the Schools," January 15, 2003, in Panama City Beach,
Florida.
The statistics are alarming. According to research reported in a 1996 issue
of Circulation, it is estimated that 1 out of every 100,000-300,000 high school
athletes will die from sudden cardiac death each year. The average age of
collapse is 17, and a large percentage of these victims are male. The cause of
sudden death in young competitive athletes varies, but most result from an
undiagnosed congenital heart abnormality, which tragically provides few or no
prior symptoms.
Parents of young sudden cardiac arrest victims; emergency medicine and
cardiology experts; representatives of the American Heart Association, the
American Academy of Pediatrics, the EMS for Children National Resource Center,
the Association of School Nurses; AED manufacturers and national training
organizations convened to discuss ideas on how to start defibrillator programs
for schools. Other topics on the agenda included laws and liability issues,
pre-participation screenings for teen athletes, funding for school-site AED
programs, program implementation, training and data collection.
The forum took place the day before the annual meeting of the National
Association of EMS Physicians.
"While schools are primarily a location for children and teens, they are also
gathering places for adults and the elderly who may attend public meetings,
evening classes and sporting events. It makes sense to have portable AEDs
available in these public places because one never knows where or when sudden
cardiac arrest may occur," said Vincent N. Mosesso, MD, assistant professor of
emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and
medical director of the NCED. "Additionally, CPR and defibrillator training
should be integrated into school curricula so students can promote a culture of
bystander response," added Mosesso.
The goal of the meeting was not to debate whether or not AEDs in schools are
a good or bad idea, said Mary Newman, executive director of NCED. Instead, it
was a forum for people who have successfully initiated school-site AED programs
to see what has worked for them.
Several parent advocates who launched successful school-site AED programs in
memory of their children attended the forum to share their personal stories.
These parents represent Project Adam in Wisconsin, the Ken Heart Foundation in
Ohio, the Louis J. Acompora Memorial Foundation in New York and the Gregory
Moyer Defibrillator Fund in Pennsylvania.
In Pennsylvania, free AEDs were made available for schools through the
Pennsylvania Department of Education Act 4 of 2001, which was signed by former
Governor Tom Ridge, established a one-time AED program to assist schools with
acquiring AEDs.
This article was prepared by Heart Disease Weekly editors from staff and
other reports.
February 2, 2003
SECTION: EXPANDED REPORTING; Pg. 9
LENGTH: 537 words
HEADLINE: CARDIAC ARREST: Ways to reduce death in schools focus of
defibrillation forum
BODY:
To help reduce the mortality of sudden cardiac arrest in young students,
school athletes and adults, the National Center for Early Defibrillation (NCED)
at the University of Pittsburgh hosted an issues forum, "Automated External
Defibrillators (AEDs) in the Schools," January 15, 2003, in Panama City Beach,
Florida.
The statistics are alarming. According to research reported in a 1996 issue
of Circulation, it is estimated that 1 out of every 100,000-300,000 high school
athletes will die from sudden cardiac death each year. The average age of
collapse is 17, and a large percentage of these victims are male. The cause of
sudden death in young competitive athletes varies, but most result from an
undiagnosed congenital heart abnormality, which tragically provides few or no
prior symptoms.
Parents of young sudden cardiac arrest victims; emergency medicine and
cardiology experts; representatives of the American Heart Association, the
American Academy of Pediatrics, the EMS for Children National Resource Center,
the Association of School Nurses; AED manufacturers and national training
organizations convened to discuss ideas on how to start defibrillator programs
for schools. Other topics on the agenda included laws and liability issues,
pre-participation screenings for teen athletes, funding for school-site AED
programs, program implementation, training and data collection.
The forum took place the day before the annual meeting of the National
Association of EMS Physicians.
"While schools are primarily a location for children and teens, they are also
gathering places for adults and the elderly who may attend public meetings,
evening classes and sporting events. It makes sense to have portable AEDs
available in these public places because one never knows where or when sudden
cardiac arrest may occur," said Vincent N. Mosesso, MD, assistant professor of
emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and
medical director of the NCED. "Additionally, CPR and defibrillator training
should be integrated into school curricula so students can promote a culture of
bystander response," added Mosesso.
The goal of the meeting was not to debate whether or not AEDs in schools are
a good or bad idea, said Mary Newman, executive director of NCED. Instead, it
was a forum for people who have successfully initiated school-site AED programs
to see what has worked for them.
Several parent advocates who launched successful school-site AED programs in
memory of their children attended the forum to share their personal stories.
These parents represent Project Adam in Wisconsin, the Ken Heart Foundation in
Ohio, the Louis J. Acompora Memorial Foundation in New York and the Gregory
Moyer Defibrillator Fund in Pennsylvania.
In Pennsylvania, free AEDs were made available for schools through the
Pennsylvania Department of Education Act 4 of 2001, which was signed by former
Governor Tom Ridge, established a one-time AED program to assist schools with
acquiring AEDs.
This article was prepared by Heart Disease Weekly editors from staff and
other reports.
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