Why Do I Need AEDs?

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a leading cause of death, killing more than one million people worldwide each year. SCA can strike persons of any age, gender, race, and even those who seem in good health, as evidenced by world class professional athletes at the peak of fitness.

During SCA, heart function ceases abruptly and without warning, as it did with soccer player Miklós Fehér (video on right) back in 2004.

You'll notice in the very beginning of the video Miklós is walking and smiling. Seconds later he was on the ground, never to recover.

When sudden cardiac arrest occurs, the heart is no longer able to pump blood to the rest of the body, and in more than 90% of its victims, death occurs. This is usually caused when the electrical impulses in the affected heart become rapid (ventricular tachycardia, or "VT") or chaotic (ventricular fibrillation, or "VF"), or both. A defibrillator is required to restore a natural rhythm.

These irregular heart rhythms are arrhythmias. The general public and media often mistakenly refer to SCA as a "massive heart attack."

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About Defibrillation
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Real-Life Stories

Miklós Fehér died on the field.


Learn more about the Boy Scouts alliance with Cardiac Science (PDF)