With sudden cardiac arrest killing a young competitive athlete in the U.S. every three days, the Arkansas Department of Education is offering a free online course for teachers and coaches to learn about recognition and management of SCA in student athletes.
The course, Sudden Cardiac Arrest: When Seconds Count, is in partnership with ArkansasIDEAS and the Arkansas Activities Association to educate teachers on heart health and safety for student athletes.
“While not common, sudden cardiac arrest can affect teenagers, and when it does, time is of the essence,” ADE Commissioner Johnny Key said. “With the proper training and response techniques, the outlook is good for those affected. I encourage all educators to complete the online training.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Arkansas had the fourth highest heart disease mortality rate in 2017, with 10,577 deaths. While the CDC-reported number of deaths due to cardiac arrest in Arkansas were lower at 104 in 2017 than those for heart disease, prevention and training play a critical role in saving lives.
According to the Boston Scientific Journal, young athletes are twice as likely to experience SCA than non-athletes with 90 percent of the victims being male and more than half being African American. More than two thirds of the young athletes who die suddenly are basketball and football players.
The course is free for educators and is available on ArkansasIDEAS. It includes videos by the Arkansas Educational Television Network. It includes lessons from a cardiologist, a student athlete and athletic trainers who discuss ways to prevent SCA. The topics also include how to identify the warning signs and respond if an incident occurs.
“Sudden Cardiac Arrest: When Seconds Count will be a great resource for our schools, coaches, and families,” said Dr. Joey Walters, deputy executive director for the Arkansas Activities Association. “The course is a wonderful addition to the other sports medicine courses available on ArkansasIDEAS. The collaboration between all parties involved is again an example of why Arkansas is a national leader in sports medicine.”
Michael Shine may be reached at 870-862-6611 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter and like him on Facebook @MichaelAZShine for updates on Union County school news.