What is cardiac arrest? Cardiac arrest is the sudden loss of all heart activity due to an irregular heart rhythm, heart blockage, and congenital problems. Without immediate treatment, cardiac arrest will lead to death. The cause of cardiac arrest is a multitude of problems, problems that are mostly found in elderly and unhealthy populations, but it can also occur in athletic teens and/or adolescents.

One of the causes is physical stress, kids of all ages participate in many physical activities throughout their youth. Many push the boundaries of that physical activity resulting in pressure that occurs inside the heart which leads to cardiac arrest. An example is recently when Lebron James’s son, Bronny, suffered from a cardiac arrest. According to MSN.com,” Despite the significance of his condition, the statement went on to say that the family is “very confident in Bronny’s full recovery” and that he would be able to “return to basketball in the very near future.” Another example is about 18 year old Drew Strasser, he had just finished his warm-up laps at tennis practice when he lurched toward the wall to brace himself before slumping down, going unconscious. Luckily his teammate and friend started to perform CPR on Drew,this action saved Drew’s life long enough for the Medical staff to arrive. It’s important to note that Cardiac Arrest is very life-threatening but it’s also treatable by medical professionals.

Another cause of heart strain is consuming an abundance of caffeinated drinks throughout the day. Having an occasional cup of coffee isn’t something to worry about, but if you consume caffeine every day, including energy drinks, you are more at risk. The reason why it’s dangerous is because caffeine makes you more energized, causing unnecessary strain to your heart. It’s important to watch how much caffeine you’re drinking. According to Medical News Today,” Energy drink consumption may disrupt the heart’s electrical system. This can increase the risk of heart arrhythmias, which are risk factors for strokes and cardiac arrests.” There are many other ways to get energized without using coffee or sugary drinks. For example, you can eat a good breakfast, drink plenty of water, improve your sleeping habits, and many more.

There are many ways of preventing cardiac arrest like exercise, healthy lifestyle, limiting your sugar intake and avoiding a sedentary lifestyle, in some cases there are congenital issues that cannot be prevented. Examples of congenital cardiac problems are childhood diabetes,high cholesterol and heart disease. Many times these issues are not discovered until it is too late. Annual doctor visits including, blood tests, ECG (electrical cardiac gram), and thorough physical exam. These methods have been proven to discover physical issues before it’s too late to treat. Remember to treat your body like a temple!

Our school has a responsibility to ensure that athletes are healthy enough to participate in that physical activity. It’s important to fill out the Athletic Packet correctly by visiting the doctor for a proper physical exam,this ensures that you are in great condition! While doing physical activities, remember to drink plenty of water, watch your heart rate, and take multiple breaks. Remember if you don’t feel well, take a break that day, your body is telling you that you need a rest day.