Even children and adolescent can die with sudden cardiac death

GREATER KAILASH, India - Feb. 4, 2014 - PRLog -- In US alone 2000 individuals younger than 25 years die every year of sudden cardiac death. The number in India is estimated to be 8-10 thousand.

Sudden death in children aged 3-13 years, the common cause include congenital heart disease - 21%, hypertrophic heart muscle – 18% and abnormal ECG 25% and mitral valve prolepses – 7%. Chronic blockages as a cause of sudden death is only seen after the age of 25 year.

In children, the warning signs of possible future sudden cardiac death include episodes of chest pain, fatigue, light headedness and episodes of loss of consciousness  which are seen in upto 50% of children before the actual death episode.

To prevent sudden cardiac death in children, Padma Shri & Dr. B C Roy National Awardee, Dr. K K Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India, trained over 1000 children of Chinmaya Vidyalaya at Vasant Vihar, Delhi. Dr. Aggarwal said that all teachers and school children should learn cardiac first aid   which includes how to revive a child after sudden cardiac death.

Dr. Aggarwal said that hands only CPR 10 can be attempted on children and it differs from adult CPR with the compression being lighter than in the adults. The way to remember is to put pressure which can only compress the centre of the chest by 1 ½ - 2”.

Dr. Aggarwal revised the CPR 10 mantra as - “To revive a person from sudden cardiac death, within 10 minutes of death (earlier the better), at least for the next 10 minutes (longer the better), compress the centre of the chest of the dead person by 1 ½” distance continuously with a speed of 10x10 i.e. 100 per minute.”

In Hindi it can be remembered as - “Marne ke dus minute ke andar (jitna jaldi utna behtar), kam se kam agle dus minute tak (jitni der tak utna behtar, 10x10=100 ki gati se, apni chhati peetne ke bajaye mare hue aadmi ki chhati peeto.”

About HCFI : The only National Not for profit NGO, on whose mega community health education events, Govt. of India has released two National Commemorative stamps and one cancellation stamp, and who has conducted one to one training on" Hands only CPR" of 86661 people since 1st November 2012.

The CPR 10 Mantra is – "Within 10 minutes of death, earlier the better; at least for the next 10 minutes, longer the better; compress the centre of the chest of the dead person continuously and effectively with a speed of 10×10 i.e. 100 per minute."