Expert explains: Sudden cardiac death affects 65,000 Germans every year – 5 things you have to do in an emergency
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In Germany, 65,000 people die from sudden cardiac death every year. 6 million Germans belong to the risk group. What you need to do in an emergency.
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Suddenly the heart stops beating. Blood pressure drops to zero. Those affected feel an emptiness in their heads and collapse unconscious after about eight seconds. Breathing stops within two to three minutes – death occurs after about ten minutes. The facts about sudden cardiac death, from which 65,000 people die every year in Germany alone, are so sad.
As Dietrich Andresen, former CEO of the German Heart Foundation, explains, this is not normally a fateful event from which there is no escape: “Sudden cardiac death is usually a complication of long-standing cardiovascular disease,” says the heart specialist. Those most at risk are people who suffer from it and don’t know about it.
6 million Germans have an increased risk of sudden cardiac death
Coronary heart disease, or CHD for short, occurs most often in people over 40. Autopsies of people who died of sudden cardiac death showed that 75 percent had CHD. A frightening number, because experts estimate that around six million people in Germany are affected by it.
The reason: CHD often occurs as a result of other diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and lipid metabolism disorders such as high cholesterol.
But what exactly is coronary heart disease? According to the German Heart Foundation, this is a circulatory disorder in the heart muscle due to a narrowing of the coronary arteries. These in turn lead to scarring of the heart muscles and thus promote cardiac arrhythmias. The disease particularly often causes heart failure (heart failure).
Read more about living a heart-healthy life here:
Causes: This can be behind sudden cardiac death
However, other illnesses can also be behind sudden cardiac death – especially in people under 40. From myocarditis, which is caused by a spread infection, i.e. bacteria and viruses, to congenital heart defects and genetic heart diseases.
This also includes, for example, the so-called ion channel diseases, a disturbance of the excitation of the heart muscles. Another cause can also play a role in younger people in particular: the consumption of drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines.
How to protect yourself from sudden cardiac death
The best strategy to protect yourself from sudden cardiac death is prevention. It is important to recognize risk factors and heart diseases early enough. “We advise men and women aged 40 and over – with a family history of illness earlier – to have regular check-ups with their family doctor,” says Andresen. If this diagnoses heart disease, it must be checked regularly by a cardiologist.
If it turns out that it is a congenital heart defect, those affected should go to an EMAH cardiologist who specializes in adults with congenital heart defects (EMAH).
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Recognizing sudden cardiac arrest: Everyone should know these warning signs
Certain symptoms can occur in the run-up to a cardiac arrest.
You should pay attention to these warning signs:
Chest pain
shortness of breath
heart racing
palpitations
Brief unconsciousness
Dizziness attacks
Imminent unconsciousness
Blood pressure monitors at a glance (display)
Cardiac arrest: immediate emergency measures
If a cardiac arrest occurs, people around the affected person must react quickly. Because of the lack of oxygen transport, organ damage occurs within a few minutes – the brain in particular is affected. The German Heart Foundation recommends the following steps:
1. Check whether the person is approachable! Shake her by both shoulders and ask her name and what happened.
2. Check the mouth and nose to see if the person is still breathing. To do this, you should stretch the head of the unconscious person. Rattling and gasping are typical of the first phase after a cardiac arrest.
3. Call an emergency doctor immediately 112If this is the case.
4. Begin chest compressions immediately: The person should lie on a hard surface. Kneel down next to the person and place one hand on the middle of the chest, the other hand above it and press the breastbone about five to six centimeters in quick succession towards the spine – about 100 to 120 times per minute. Relieve pressure after each press and never interrupt the massage by breathing.
An example of the right timing is the song “Staying alive” by the Bee Gees. Background: Chest compression creates a blood circulation and transports blood with oxygen to the brain – this can prevent thousands of brain cells from dying.
5. If you are alone with the affected person without other helpers, you must carry out the massage until the emergency services arrive and do not interrupt it under any circumstances – too many brain cells die as a result. If there are two of you, the other helper gets a defibrillator if there is one nearby. With the AED (Automated External Defibrillator) you then follow the instructions of the integrated voice module.
Heart & Vessels 2021
Read the issue of FOCUS-GESUNDHEIT about what makes your heart strong and what you can do if it falls ill.
Pictures and videos about emergency help in the event of cardiac arrest and heart attack can be found at www.herzstiftung.de/herznotfall- Behavior.html
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