Innovative cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator programs in schools: Results from the Student Program for Olympic Resuscitation Training in Schools (SPORTS) study.

Background: Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) rates are low. Our study objective was to encourage Philadelphia high school students to develop CPR/AED (automated external defibrillator) training programs and to assess their efficacy. The focus was on developing innovative ways to learn the skills of CPR/AED use, increasing willingness to respond in an emergency, and retention of effective psychomotor resuscitation skills.

Utility and limitations of exome sequencing as a genetic diagnostic tool for conditions associated with pediatric sudden cardiac arrest/sudden cardiac death.

Background: Conditions associated with sudden cardiac arrest/death (SCA/D) in youth often have a genetic etiology. While SCA/D is uncommon, a pro-active family screening approach may identify these inherited structural and electrical abnormalities prior to symptomatic events and allow appropriate surveillance and treatment. This study investigated the diagnostic utility of exome sequencing (ES) by evaluating the capture and coverage of genes related to SCA/D.

Cardiovascular deaths in children: general overview from the National Center for the Review and Prevention of Child Deaths.

Background: Cardiovascular conditions rank sixth in causes of death in 1- to 19-year-olds. Our study is the first analysis of the cardiovascular death data set from the National Center for the Review and Prevention of Child Deaths, which provides the only systematic collection of cardiovascular deaths in children.

Methods: We developed an analytical data set from the National Center for the Review and Prevention of Child Deaths database for cardiovascular deaths in children 0 to 21 years old, reviewing 1,098 cases from 2005 to 2009 in 16 states who agreed to participate.

Development of a data set of national cardiovascular deaths in the young.

Background: The only systematic collection of cardiovascular (CV) deaths in children resides in the database derived from the Case Reporting System of the National Center for the Review and Prevention of Child Deaths (NCRPCD). We describe the process used to develop an analytical data set to inform our understanding of CV deaths in children from this database.

Methods: Twenty-five states reporting natural CV deaths during 2005 to 2009 were contacted.

A discussion of electrocardiographic screening and sudden cardiac death prevention: evidence and consensus.

Purpose Of Review: Frequent media reports of sudden cardiac arrest or death (SCA/SCD) keep alive a debate as to how best to prevent these tragedies. Several new studies in the past 2 years serve as an impetus to reframe the debate into a reasonable discussion that seeks to obtain more evidence wherever needed and to develop a consensus wherever possible.

Recent Findings: Since the report from Italy of the 89% decrease in SCD over 25 years of an ECG-based cardiovascular screening program, proponents and opponents of ECG screening have been busily debating.

A pilot study of the feasibility of heart screening for sudden cardiac arrest in healthy children.

Background: In children, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is associated with structural and electrical cardiac abnormalities. No studies have systematically screened healthy school children in the United States for conditions leading to SCA to identify those at risk.

Methods: From June 2006 to June 2007, we screened 400 healthy 5- to 19-year-olds (11.