• SCA Risk Assessment

    You may read on occasion in the news about young people passing away suddenly and unexpectedly from cardiac conditions, it may cause you to wonder is your child at risk - this no doubt is an unsettling thought. We have come across a tool offered by the HCMA, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association, which will help your family identify risk factors for those at risk for sudden cardiac arrest.
     
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    Here are a few things to understand about Sudden Cardiac arrest:
    • Many different conditions can cause sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).
    • Many of these conditions are genetic and therefore run in families.
    • All conditions that cause SCA are treatable and those with these conditions can live long lives.
    • Sudden cardiac arrest is NOT a heart attack; however the two are often confused for each other. Sudden cardiac arrest causes death due to an electrical abnormality while a heart attack is created from a blockage in the blood vessels in the heart.
    Here are a few items to understand about the Risk Assessment tool:
    • You do not have to return the form to the school; it is for YOUR information and will enable you to seek out care from your family physician if you have any risk factors.
    • Having a risk factor does not mean you HAVE a conditions, only that it is wise to discuss this risk factor with your health care provider to and discuss further cardiac testing.
    • If you have any questions while completing the form you may reach out to us at 973-983-7429 or email them at support@4hcm.org for assistance.

    Common questions people ask about testing and risk:
    Q. If my child participated in a community screening program and had an ECG and limited Echo doesn't that mean they are not at risk?
    A. Unfortunately this method of screening is only as good as that moment in time it was done and has a high false negative rate (up to 10%), also limited echocardiography has not been proven as a screening tool at this time it is best described as strictly investigational. Therefore if a child or family has risk factors a complete comprehensive screening should be done by a cardiologist.
    Q. Will my insurance pay for this screening?
    A. If you have indicated a risk factor your insurance company should pay for all testing but you are advised to check your policy as each is different.
    Q. If my parents or siblings have been diagnosed with a condition, but I have not is my child still at risk?
    A. Yes, some conditions may not present until later in life, therefore you may be fine now, but your child may exhibit the condition earlier then you; therefore it is important to share all family history with your health care provider.
    We hope you take a few moment to complete the questionnaire it is our hope that those children and families with risk factors take action to seek a timely diagnosis and treatment.