Treating Cardiac Arrests in Student-Athletes

(from EdWeek) Though it’s not a common occurrence, 2 in 50 U.S. high schools can expect a sudden cardiac arrest event each year, according to the American College of Cardiology, and an estimated 2,000 children each year will die from cardiac arrest. Guidelines from the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine advise using an AED within three to five minutes of someone experiencing cardiac arrest for the best chance of survival. But a 2017 study reported that only 17 states have laws or regulations requiring AED installation in K-12 schools. Further, many schools that do house AEDs lack broader emergency action plans related to athletic injuries, such as the model plan developed by The National Athletic Trainers’ Association.

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