Can sudden cardiac death be prevented?
The goal of primary prevention is to decrease the risk of sudden cardiac death in those who have never had an event. Treatment is aimed at identifying those at high risk and treating the risk factors. If you have any of the risk factors listed above, it is important to speak to your doctor about possible steps to reduce your risk. In order to prevent sudden cardiac
death, underlying heart conditions must be addressed. Medications and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators may be used.
Medications. To help reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death from occurring, doctors may prescribe medications to people who have had heart attacks, heart failure or who have arrhythmias such as irregular heart rhythms. If your doctor prescribes medication, he or she will tell you more about why you are taking it. It is important that you know the names of your medications and any directions that you need to follow when taking them. If you have any questions be sure to ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Risk factor modification. There are certain lifestyle changes that can be made to reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and thus your risk of sudden cardiac death. These include: quitting smoking, losing weight, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet. If you have any questions or are unsure how to make these changes, ask your doctor for advice.
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). For people whose risk factors put them at great risk for sudden cardiac death, an ICD may be inserted as a preventive treatment. An ICD is a small machine similar to an AED that is designed to correct abnormal heartbeats by detecting and then correcting fast or slow heart rates. The ICD constantly monitors the heart rhythm. When it detects a very fast or slow heart rhythm, it delivers energy to the heart muscle to cause the heart to beat in a normal rhythm again. The ICD also records the data of each abnormal heartbeat, which can be viewed by the doctor through a third part of the system kept at the hospital. The ICD can be used in people who have survived sudden cardiac death and require constant heart rhythm monitoring.
Interventional procedures or coronary artery bypass surgery. For people with coronary artery disease, a procedure such as angioplasty or bypass surgery to open up clogged arteries may be needed to improve blood flow to the heart muscle and reduce the risk of having sudden cardiac death. |
