The American Heart Association offers these statistics as part of our campaign to increase cardiac arrest survival across the United States. In 90 percent of adult sudden death victims, two or more major coronary arteries are narrowed by atherosclerosis. Scarring from a prior heart attack is found in two-thirds of victims. When sudden death occurs in young adults, other heart abnormalities are more likely causes. Adrenaline released during intense physical or athletic activity often acts as a trigger for sudden death when these abnormalities are present.
Cardiac arrest occurs suddenly and dramatically.
It's also sometimes called sudden cardiac arrest or unexpected cardiac arrest . All known heart diseases can lead to cardiac arrest and sudden death. This irregular heart rhythm causes the heart to stop beating suddenly. Some cardiac arrests are due to extreme slowing of the heart. About 220,000 people a year die of coronary heart disease without being hospitalized.