November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, so let’s take a few minutes to ponder this deadly disease. First, let’s learn a little bit about the pancreas and its important contributions to the body’s day-to-day functioning.

The pancreas is an oblong organ that sits across the back of the abdomen, between the stomach and the spine. It consists primarily of two types of cells. Exocrine cells make key enzymes for digestion, which they release into tiny tubes called ducts. Endocrine cells produce hormones such as insulin and glucagon, which help the body absorb glucose (sugar) for energy and control glucose levels in the blood. Endocrine cells release their hormones directly into the bloodstream.

Pancreatic cancer develops when abnormal cells grow out of control and form a mass, or tumor. About 95 percent of pancreatic cancers start in the exocrine cells. These are called pancreatic adenocarcinomas. About 7 percent of pancreatic cancers begin in the endocrine cells. Those are called pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, or PNETs.

According to the American Cancer Society, pancreatic cancer accounts for about 3 percent of all cancer diagnoses in the US and is responsible for 7 percent of cancer deaths. The society estimates that about 62,210 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2022 and about 49,830 people will die from it.

Pancreatic cancer is often called a “silent cancer” because it generally has no detectable symptoms in early stages. Consequently, it typically progresses and affects other organs and tissues before it is diagnosed.

When present, pancreatic cancer symptoms can include yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), dark urine, pain in the abdomen or lower back, digestive upset (nausea, vomiting or indigestion), fatigue, depression, blood clots, decreased appetite, unexplained weight loss and sudden onset of diabetes.

The cause is unknown, but certain factors have been identified that increase the risk for developing this cancer. These include smoking cigarettes, being obese, not exercising regularly, eating a diet high in fat and processed meats, drinking heavily, being exposed to chemicals and pesticides, having Type 2 diabetes or a chronically inflamed pancreas, being African American, being male, being older than 55 and having a family history of pancreatic cancer.

To diagnose pancreatic cancer, a doctor will begin with a thorough review of the patient’s symptoms and medical history. The doctor will likely order a CT or MRI scan to get a detailed image of the pancreas. Other tests may include endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

These tests are performed through an endoscope – a thin, flexible tube with a tiny camera attached to its end that is passed down the throat and into the digestive system. During these endoscopic procedures, a doctor can obtain a sample of tissue to study under a microscope to look for cancer cells. This is called a biopsy.

Blood tests are also used to look for certain tumor markers that may indicate pancreatic cancer. Tumor markers are substances that are often found in high concentrations when cancer is present. Tumor marker CA 19-9 may be helpful in diagnosing pancreatic cancer. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is another tumor marker for pancreatic cancer, but it’s not used as often as CA 19-9.

Once a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer has been made, the doctor will assign a stage based on test results. The stage of a cancer indicates the size of the tumor and how far it has spread from where it originated. The stages of pancreatic cancer include:

• Stage 0 – Abnormal cells that could become cancerous are present in the pancreas.
• Stage 1 – Tumors are in the pancreas only.
• Stage 2 – Tumors have spread to nearby abdominal tissue or lymph nodes.
• Stage 3 – The cancer has spread to major blood vessels and lymph nodes.
• Stage 4 – The cancer has spread to other organs, such as the liver.

Treatment for pancreatic cancer depends on the stage. The goals of treatment are to kill the cancer cells, prevent the spread of the disease and relieve symptoms. Treatment may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted drug therapy and immunotherapy.

If the cancer is localized to the pancreas, it may be possible to eliminate the cancer cells by surgically removing all or part of the pancreas. A common procedure for pancreatic cancer is the Whipple procedure during which the surgeon removes the head of the pancreas and sometimes the entire pancreas, along with a portion of the stomach, the first part of the small intestine, the gallbladder, the bile duct and other tissue.

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy destroys cancer by focusing high-energy rays on the cancer cells. These treatments may be used before surgery to shrink tumors or after surgery to eliminate any remaining traces of the cancer.

Targeted drug therapy is a type of cancer treatment that targets proteins that control how cancer cells grow, divide and spread. Immunotherapy works the immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells.

Because pancreatic cancer is typically not diagnosed until it is in its advanced stages, it continues to be difficult to treat and cure. Fortunately, the outlook for people with this cancer is improving. Ongoing research and clinical trials, along with new treatments, are expanding the average five-year survival rate for people with pancreatic cancer.

Patti DiPanfilo

This is National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month. Let’s observe it by taking a closer look at migraine, which is more than a headache. Migraine is a disabling neurological condition that has different symptoms and treatment approaches compared to other types of headaches, such as tension and cluster headaches.

Migraine causes pulsing pain that often starts on one side of your head. It typically gets worse with physical activity and makes you extremely sensitive to light, sound or smell. A migraine can last for hours or even days. Research shows it’s the sixth most disabling disorder in the world.

There are many different types of migraine. The most common are migraine with aura, or complicated migraine, and migraine without aura, or common migraine.

About 25 to 30 percent of people with migraine experience auras just before the headache pain begins. An aura is a group of sensory disturbances that may include flashes of light, zigzag lines or other vision changes. They may also include ringing in the ears, tingling on one side of the body and an inability to speak clearly. Auras serve as a warning sign that a migraine is imminent.

However, most migraine sufferers experience common migraine, without aura. Common migraines typically start slower that complicated migraines, last longer and interfere more with everyday activities. The pain is often only on one side of the head.

Migraine typically occurs in four stages: prodrome, aura, headache and postdrome. Each stage has its own symptoms.

The prodrome, or warning stage, is the calm before the storm. You may notice changes in your body and mood anywhere from a few hours to a few days before the migraine actually begins. Prodrome symptoms include difficulty concentrating, irritability and/or depression, nausea, vomiting, constipation, sensitivity to light or sound, food cravings, increased urination and muscle stiffness.

Aura symptoms were discussed above.

Symptoms of the headache stage include neck pain and stiffness; depression, giddiness and/or anxiety; sensitivity to light, sound or smell; nasal congestion; insomnia; nausea and vomiting; loss of appetite; feeling very warm or cold; diarrhea; dizziness; and blurred vision.

During this stage, you may feel a dull ache that develops into a pulsing pain that has been described as feeling like an icepick being jabbed into your head. The pain may shift from one side of your head to the other, or it can affect the front of your head, the back of your head or your entire head. The headache stage lasts anywhere from four to 72 hours.

The postdrome, also known as the migraine hangover, can last from a few hours to a day after the migraine is over. There are lingering symptoms that may include an inability to concentrate, depressed mood, fatigue, lack of comprehension and euphoric mood. About 80 percent of people with migraine experience this stage.

Researchers don’t know the cause of migraine, but they have identified certain risk factors. These include genetics. Up to 80 percent of people who have migraine have a parent, sibling or child with the disorder. Gender is another risk factor. Women are two to three times more likely to develop migraine than men. You are also at a higher risk if you live a high-stress lifestyle. Smoking also increases your risk.

Stress is a trigger for migraine. Other factors that may trigger migraine include hormonal changes; pickled, processed or canned foods; alcoholic or caffeinated beverages; certain medications; infections such as a cold or the flu; loud sounds, bright lights and strong smells such as paint fumes or heavy perfumes.

Your doctor can generally diagnose migraine based on the symptoms you report. The physician may order blood tests or an imaging exam, such as a CT or MRI, to rule out other disorders.

There is no cure for migraine. However, it can usually be managed with medication, and in some cases it can be improved. There are two main approaches that include medications: abortive and preventive.

Abortive treatment is designed to stop your migraine and ease your pain. Medications used in this approach includes over-the-counter pain relievers and prescription medications such as triptans, which reverse the changes in your brain that contribute to migraine.

Other abortive medications include ergot alkaloids, which narrow the blood vessels in the brain; and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonists, which bind to CGRP and keep it from working. An influx of CGRP is believed to contribute to the development of migraine. CGRP antagonists can also be used to prevent migraine.

Preventive treatments are designed to reduce the frequency, severity and duration of migraine. They include medications such as beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, certain antidepressants and anti-seizure medications, and BOTOX injections. Wearable devices that stimulate your vagus and trigeminal nerves can also prevent migraine or give relief if the headache has started.

If you suffer from chronic migraine, don’t give up. See your doctor about abortive and preventive treatment approaches. Maybe you will find some relief from your misery.

Patti DiPanfilo

Let’s take a few minutes to ponder pancreatic cancer. First, let’s learn a little bit about the pancreas and its important contributions to the body’s day-to-day functioning.

The pancreas is an oblong organ that sits across the back of the abdomen, between the stomach and the spine. It consists primarily of two types of cells. Exocrine cells make key enzymes for digestion, which they release into tiny tubes called ducts. Endocrine cells produce hormones such as insulin and glucagon, which help the body absorb glucose (sugar) for energy and control glucose levels in the blood. Endocrine cells release their hormones directly into the bloodstream.

Pancreatic cancer develops when abnormal cells grow out of control and form a mass, or tumor. About 95 percent of pancreatic cancers start in the exocrine cells. These are called pancreatic adenocarcinomas. About 7 percent of pancreatic cancers begin in the endocrine cells. Those are called pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, or PNETs.

According to the American Cancer Society, pancreatic cancer accounts for about 3 percent of all cancer diagnoses in the United States and is responsible for 7 percent of cancer deaths. The ACS estimates that about 60,430 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2021 and about 48,220 people will die from it.

Pancreatic cancer is often called a “silent cancer” because it generally has no detectable symptoms in its early stages. Consequently, it has typically progressed and affected other organs and tissues before it is diagnosed.

When present, pancreatic cancer symptoms can include: yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice); dark urine; pain in the abdomen or lower back; digestive upset (nausea, vomiting or indigestion); fatigue; depression; blood clots, decreased appetite; unexplained weight loss, and sudden onset of diabetes.

The cause of pancreatic cancer is unknown, but certain factors have been identified that increase your risk for developing this cancer. Pancreatic cancer risk factors include: smoking cigarettes, being obese, not exercising regularly, eating a diet high in fat and processed meats, drinking heavily, being exposed to chemicals and pesticides, having Type 2 diabetes or a chronically inflamed pancreas, being African-American, being male; being older than 55 and having a family history of pancreatic cancer..

To diagnose pancreatic cancer, your doctor will begin with a thorough review of your symptoms and medical history. The doctor will likely order a CT or MRI scan to get a detailed image of your pancreas. Other tests your doctor may recommend include endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

These tests are performed through an endoscope, a thin, flexible tube with a tiny video camera attached to its end, that is passed down your throat and into your digestive system. During these endoscopic procedures, your doctor can obtain a sample of tissue to study under a microscope to look for cancer cells. This is called a biopsy.

Blood tests are also used to look for certain tumor markers that may indicate pancreatic cancer. Tumor markers are substances that are often found in high concentrations when cancer is present. Tumor marker CA 19-9 may be helpful in diagnosing pancreatic cancer. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is another tumor marker for pancreatic cancer, but it’s not used as often as CA 19-9.

Once a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer has been made, your doctor will assign a stage based on the test results. The stage of a cancer indicates the size of the tumor and how far it has spread from where it originated. Pancreatic cancer has four stages:

• Stage 1 – The tumors are in the pancreas only
• Stage 2 – The tumors have spread to nearby abdominal tissue or lymph nodes
• Stage 3 – The cancer has spread to major blood vessels and lymph nodes
• Stage 4 – The tumors have spread to other organs, such as the liver

Treatment for pancreatic cancer depends on the stage. The goals of treatment are to kill the cancerous cells, prevent the spread of the disease and relieve symptoms. Treatment may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted drug therapy and immunotherapy.

If the cancer is localized to the pancreas, it may be possible to eliminate the cancer cells by surgically removing all or part of the pancreas. A common procedure for pancreatic cancer is the Whipple procedure during which the surgeon removes the head of the pancreas and sometimes the entire pancreas, along with a portion of the stomach, the first part of the small intestine, the gallbladder, the bile duct and other tissue.

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy destroys cancer by focusing high-energy rays on the cancer cells. These treatments may be used before surgery to shrink tumors or after surgery to eliminate any remaining traces of the cancer.

Targeted drug therapy is a type of cancer treatment that targets proteins that control how cancer cells grow, divide and spread. Immunotherapy works with your body’s immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells.

Because pancreatic cancer is typically not diagnosed until it is in its advanced stages, it continues to be difficult to treat and cure. Fortunately, the outlook for people with this cancer is improving. Ongoing research and clinical trials, along with new treatments, are expanding the average five-year survival rate for people with pancreatic cancer.

Each year, more than 10,000 people, about 1,000 of them children, lose their lives on America’s roadways due to drunk driving. That’s about 1/3 of all traffic-related deaths. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drinking and driving kills nearly 30 people every day in the US or about one person every 50 minutes.

Car accidents involving intoxicated drivers happen even more often during the holidays, when social binge-drinking is more accepted and prevalent. Increased drinking at holiday parties and gatherings leads to an uptick in impaired drivers on the road and a higher risk for alcohol-related accidents. So, even if you drive sober, there’s a greater chance you’ll be sharing the road with other drivers who are not.

During the winter holiday season, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, 40 percent of highway deaths are alcohol related. During the same period, there’s an estimated 25,000 injuries from alcohol-related accidents. Curiously, a quarter of the profits for the $49 billion alcohol industry are made during this same time span.

While the risk for encountering a drunk driver is higher throughout the holiday season, New Year’s Day is the most dangerous holiday to be on the road, with 58 percent of car accidents being alcohol related. During the month of December, 28 percent of fatal car accidents involve intoxicated drivers. An average of 300 people are killed in drunk-driving accidents during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Alcohol impairs by affecting key skills needed for driving. It slows your reflexes, which can decrease your ability to quickly react to changing situations. It can alter your visual perception and even cause blurry vision. It can impact your ability to judge your car’s position on the road. Alcohol can affect your concentration, coordination and decision-making capability as well.

Blood alcohol concentration (BAC), also called blood alcohol content or blood alcohol limit, is the percentage of alcohol in your blood after you’ve been drinking. In 49 of 50 states and Washington DC, you are considered legally drunk if you have a BAC of 0.08 percent or above. But in Utah, the BAC limit is 0.05 percent. Any detectable blood alcohol concentration is a violation in people under 21.

Many factors contribute to how fast you reach a BAC of 0.08 percent. Your weight, body fat percentage, hydration, digestion and the way alcohol affects you, as well as the length of time you’ve been drinking, all affect how quickly you become impaired.

But generally speaking, a 180-pound man can reach a BAC of 0.08 percent after four drinks and a 120-pound woman can reach it after just two drinks. A standard “drink” is defined as one shot of liquor, a five-ounce glass of wine or one 12-ounce beer.

Even if you don’t kill anyone, driving while intoxicated will impact your life in many ways and cost you big time. If you’re arrested for a DUI or DWI, you could face the suspension of your driver’s license, jail time – up to a year for a first offense in some states – and thousands of dollars in fines and court costs. When all is said and done, alcohol-impaired drivers cost the US about $132 billion each year.

The fact of the matter is 100 percent of alcohol-related fatalities and injuries are preventable. The bottom line: there are no excuses. If you drink, don’t drive!

Try these common-sense tips for a safe holiday season:

• If you plan to drink at a holiday gathering, line up a sober driver.
• If you don’t have a designated driver, call a cab, ride-sharing service or friend to take you home at the end of the event.
• Consider spending the night at a nearby hotel or motel that you can walk to if you have more than a few drinks.
• Eat food and drink water while you’re consuming alcoholic beverages. Don’t drink on an empty stomach.
• Even if you only feel a little buzzed, you’re impaired. Get a ride with a sober driver or call a cab.

If you’re hosting a holiday gathering, follow these recommendations:

• Serve a variety of food and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as coffee.
• Avoid providing salty snacks. They make your guests drink more.
• Don’t make alcohol the main attraction at the party.
• Stop serving alcohol one to two hours before the event ends.
• Keep an eye on your guests. If someone is visibly intoxicated, don’t serve them any more alcohol.
• Don’t let drinking guests drive. Take their keys and be sure a sober driver, cab or ride-sharing service takes them home.

December is a month of multiple religious and cultural celebrations. A tradition common to these celebrations is the giving of gifts to our loved ones, particularly our children. We all want to make our kids happy this holiday season. But before you give them that toy they’ve been asking for, make sure it’s safe. That’s the message of National Safe Toys and Gifts Month.

The US Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has established strict toy safety guidelines that include rigorous testing by independent, third-party laboratories, enforcing rigid lead and phthalate limits for toys, and imposing stringent standards to stop dangerous toys from reaching the marketplace and getting into children’s hands.

In spite of these efforts, thousands of children are injured every year as a result of playing with unsafe toys. A report released by the CPSC revealed that in 2020, there were nine deaths and nearly 150,000 emergency room visits for toy-related injuries in children ages 14 and younger.

Actually, those figures represent an ongoing decline in toy-related incidents compared to the past two years. In 2019, there were 14 toy-related deaths and 224,200 injuries. In 2018, there were 17 deaths and 226,100 injuries treated in US emergency rooms. Fortunately, more than 90 percent of the injured children were treated and released.

The most common toy-related injuries treated in emergency rooms included lacerations, contusions and abrasions, strains and sprains, fractures, internal injuries, ingestion of toys or toy parts, concussions, dislocations and puncture injuries. Nonmotorized scooters were associated with several of the reported deaths each year.

The best way to avoid a toy-related injury is to be proactive when selecting toys and gifts for your children. Before you buy, consult a watchdog website, such as toysafety.org, the website of World Against Toys Causing Harm (W.A.T.C.H.), for a list of recent toy recalls. But not all unsafe toys are recalled, so follow these tips before you purchase a toy:

• Read all instructions and warnings listed on the packaging.
• Ask yourself if the toy is appropriate for your child’s age and developmental abilities.
• Avoid buying toys with sharp edges, rigid points or spikes.
• Buy toys that can withstand impact and will not break into pieces that can be a choking hazard or cause other injuries,
• Look for the letters “ASTM” on the toy or packaging. That means the toy has met the safety standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
• Avoid toys that shoot, such as BB guns, or include parts that fly off.

Here are some additional tips to keep in mind this National Safe Toys and Gifts Month:

• Be sure the gifts you give are age appropriate. Playing with toys above a child’s age and level of maturity can lead to misuse and potential injury. Toy manufacturers list the age the toy is appropriate for on the packaging.
• Learn how to properly use the toy first, then teach your children how to use it.
• Buy quality toys. They might be more expensive, but high-quality materials are less likely to break into pieces and lead to injury.
• Inspect your children’s gifts as they open them to be sure they are safe before allowing them to play with the toys.
• If you give your children sports equipment, give them the appropriate protective gear for the sport as well, such as helmets for riding toys. Make sure the gear is sized to fit your child.
• A gift that includes art supplies should be labeled “non-toxic.”
• Keep small toys, “button” batteries and other potential choking hazards away from children under 3 years old.
• Keep deflated balloons away from children under 8. Immediately throw away balloons that won’t inflate or have popped.
• Discard plastic wrapping and other toy packaging right away before they become dangerous playthings for young children.

According to WATCH., online shoppers are at a disadvantage because they cannot physically inspect the toys before purchasing them. Unfortunately, there are some disreputable online retailers that may omit warnings and cautions and provide incomplete or misleading information regarding a toy’s safety. Further, unsafe and recalled toys can resurface on online websites.

If you shop for toys online, be sure to carefully inspect the toy and its packaging for obvious hazards before giving it to your child. “Don’t let your child unwrap a potential safety hazard this holiday season,” states Joan Lawrence of The Toy Association, a site for toy safety information. “By shopping smart, you can ensure safe play.”

We all know that bacteria and viruses, including the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, trigger infections that can be serious and even life-threatening. These germs are easily spread when you touch contaminated objects or surfaces and then touch your nose, mouth or eyes, where the malicious microbes can enter your body and make you ill.

Consider all the objects you touch in a typical day. These may include doorknobs, elevator buttons, door handles, ATM keys, touchscreens and your cellphone, to name a few. When you touch these objects, any germs on their surfaces are transferred to your hands. Then your touch your face.

Think you don’t? The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology estimates that people touch their face at least 23 times an hour!

Frequent handwashing is a powerful tool for avoiding getting sick and spreading germs to others. December 1-7 is National Handwashing Awareness Week. It’s an excellent opportunity for us to take our mothers’ admonitions to heart and revisit the healthy habit of washing our hands.

Handwashing can protect you from COVID-19, respiratory infections such as pneumonia and gastric infections that cause diarrhea. These conditions can be deadly to some people, including older individuals, those with weakened immune systems, infants and children. In fact, about 1.8 million children under age 5 die each year from diarrheal diseases and pneumonia, which are the top two killers of children worldwide.

Educating people about proper handwashing has been shown to reduce the number of people who get sick with diarrhea by 23 to 40 percent. It can also reduce respiratory illnesses, including colds, by 16 to 23 percent. Further, it cuts down absenteeism due to gastrointestinal illness in schoolchildren by 29 to 57 percent.

It’s important to wash your hands thoroughly after using the toilet and changing a baby’s diaper because feces can get on your hands. Studies show that a single gram of human feces, which is about the weight of a paper clip, can contain one trillion germs! Other times you should wash your hands include:

• When your hands are visible dirty
• Before, during and after preparing food
• Before eating
• Before and after caring for a sick person
• Before and after treating a burn or wound
• Before changing contact lenses
• After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
• After touching or feeding your pet, walking your dog and handling animal waste
• After touching garbage
• After handling money

Washing your hands with soap and water has been found to eliminate more germs that washing with water alone. The steps for washing hands effectively include:

1. Rinse your hands under clean running water at a comfortable temperature. Warm water isn’t more effective at killing germs than cold water.
2. Apply the soap of your choice. It doesn’t matter if you use bar soap, liquid or foam. Antibacterial soap is not necessary to use every day outside of health care facilities.
3. Lather up for 20 seconds, Be sure to get in between your fingers, on the back of your hands and wrists, and under your nails, where germs collect
4. Rinse and dry thoroughly with a clean towel.
5. If you are using a public restroom, use a paper towel to turn off the faucet and turn the door handle when leaving.

When running water and soap aren’t available, you can clean your hands on the go using a hand sanitizer. Be sure to choose one that contains at least 60 percent alcohol. Ethanol alcohol and isopropyl alcohol ate both acceptable types.

When using a hand sanitizer, place the amount recommended by the manufacturer on your hands and vigorously rub it into both hands. Make sure to cover all areas, including your wrists and under your nails. Continue rubbing until your hands air dry.

If frequent handwashing dries your skin, consider using a moisturizing soap, such as glycerin, or a hand cream or lotion after washing to keep your skin smooth and moist.

Washing your hands only takes 20 seconds. It may be the best time you devote to your health, and the health of others.

A sudden cardiac arrest, or SCA, is sometimes referred to as a “massive heart attack,” but that moniker is not quite accurate. It’s true that SCA affects the heart, but it’s not a true heart attack. A heart attack occurs when blood flow to a part of the heart is stopped or slowed, generally due to a blockage in the coronary arteries, causing the death of heart muscle tissue.

Generally, there are signs and symptoms signaling a heart attack, and in most cases those hearts continue to beat after the event. But with SCA, people just collapse and discontinue breathing, and their hearts simply stop beating. A very serious heart attack can lead to SCA, but most SCAs are caused by problems in the rhythm of the heartbeats.

Most of the body’s electrical activity is handled by nerves, but the heart has its own unique electrical system. In the heart, electricity is generated in special pacemaker cells in the atrium, or upper chamber, and is then carried through designated pathways to the heart muscle cells. The cells then all contract at once to produce a heartbeat.

If there is an interruption anywhere along that electrical pathway, the heartbeat can become faster, slower or erratic. The most common cause of SCA is ventricular fibrillation, a very fast or chaotic heart rhythm, or arrhythmia. While ventricular fibrillation is most common, any arrhythmia can cause the heart to stop beating.

Most people at risk for SCA have coronary artery disease (CAD), although some don’t even know they have it. There are other pre-existing heart conditions that can lead to SCA, including cardiomyopathy, or an enlarged heart, valvular heart disease and a congenital heart condition, a problem that is present since birth.

Some other factors that put you at risk for SCA include the risk factors for CAD. These include being a smoker; having diabetes, high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol; being overweight or obese; and living a sedentary lifestyle. Drinking more than two drinks a day is another CAD risk factor, as is having a family history of the disease.

Other risk factors for SCA include having had a previous SCA or having a family history of SCA. If you’ve had a heart attack or have a family history of heart disease, your risk for SCA increases. The risk also goes up with getting older, being male, using recreational drugs like cocaine and amphetamines, and having low levels of potassium or magnesium in your system.

Blunt force trauma, like what can occur in a car accident or after taking a direct blow to the chest, can also trigger SCA. This is called commotio cordis. Strenuous physical activity can trigger SCA, but in most cases, there is an underlying heart problem that the people doing the activity may or may not be aware of. This is often the case when athletes in top physical condition experience SCA.

Most people with SCA, about 95 percent, die, often within minutes. Rapid treatment of someone suffering SCA is critical not only for that person’s survival, but also to minimize damage to the brain from being without oxygenated blood. Because when the heart stops beating, blood flow to the rest of the body ceases.

The chances of a positive outcome increase dramatically if the person’s receives CPR and treatment with a defibrillator within minutes. Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are available in more and more public places, including shopping malls, busses, parks and schools. You can even get an AED for your home, but talk to your doctor before you buy.

AEDs are devices that analyze the heart and if they detect a problem deliver an electrical shock to restore the heart’s normal rhythm. They are designed for use by laypeople and provide visual and voice prompts. They will only shock the heart when necessary to restore normal rhythm.

If you witness someone experiencing SCA, call, 911 immediately, then check to see if the person is breathing. If they’re not, begin chest compressions. If an AED happens to be available, use it on the unconscious, unbreathing person. Follow the instructions and prompts provided with the AED. Use the AED once, then continue chest compressions until emergency personnel arrive.

SCAs happen without notice, so they can’t be diagnosed until after they occur. There are, however, tests to diagnose contributory disorders and steps to reduce the impact of some risk factors. Having routine appointments and physicals with your doctor and getting appropriate screenings when required can help alert you to potential risk factors for SCA.

If you survive SCA or are at very high risk for SCA, your doctor may choose to place an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). An ICD is placed under the skin in your chest wall, with wires that attach to the heart. The ICD works like a pacemaker. When it detects a dangerous arrhythmia, it sends a shock to the heart to restore the natural rhythm.

Your doctor may also prescribe medication, especially if you’ve had a heart attack or if you have heart failure or an arrhythmia. Types of medications include ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers and other anti-arrhythmia drugs. If you’ve got high cholesterol and CAD, your doctor may also prescribe a statin medication for lowering your cholesterol levels.

If you’re aware of a heart condition or other risk factors for SCA, you can help yourself by making some lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of CAD and SCA. Lifestyle behaviors to put into practice in your life include quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, eating a low-fat diet and managing diabetes, high blood pressure and other chronic conditions.

For the best outcome in the case of SCA, treatment must be started within minutes of the event. If someone you love is at high risk for SCA, do them a favor and learn the proper techniques for CPR. The American Heart Association and many hospitals and health organizations routinely offer classes you can sign up for.

Think about learning CPR. You can save someone’s life.