Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, with roughly 90% of the more than 356,000 annual out-of-hospital cardiac arrests being fatal. Without immediate treatment, death from SCA can occur within minutes, which is known as sudden cardiac death (SCD).
Studies show that certain heart patients are at increased risk for SCD, including those who have a reduced heart function and have suffered a recent heart attack or have been recently diagnosed with heart failure. To provide continuous protection against sudden cardiac death for these patients, physicians may prescribe the ZOLL LifeVest wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD). This device is worn directly against the skin during a patient’s cardiac recovery. If a life-threatening rapid heart rhythm is detected, ZOLL LifeVest is designed to automatically provide defibrillation treatment – without the help of any family, EMS, or bystanders.
This article is intended to educate patients, caregivers, and clinicians about the ZOLL LifeVest WCD. Here are the top takeaways:
- Patients have an increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) following a cardiac event, such as a heart attack or new diagnosis of heart failure.
- Unlike a heart attack, SCA usually has no warning signs, and is likely to leave victims unconsciousness and unable to call for help.
- The ZOLL LifeVest wearable cardioverter defibrillator is prescribed to patients at risk of SCA, and is designed to detect certain rapid life-threatening heart rhythm and automatically deliver a treatment shock to save a patient’s life.
- If prescribed LifeVest, it is important for patients to wear the device 24/7 to ensure they have protection from SCA.
- LifeVest allows patients to return to most daily activities with peace of mind that they have protection from SCA.
What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Sudden Cardiac Death?
Despite the number of lives claimed, SCA is one of the most misunderstood medical subjects. More than 65% of Americans not only underestimate the seriousness of SCA, but also mistakenly believe SCA is a type of heart attack. Sudden cardiac arrest is so deadly because it is truly “sudden” – in most cases, victims lose consciousness immediately and without warning, and cannot help themselves. If the event is not witnessed, or if the victim does not have a device to automatically intervene and deliver defibrillation, death occurs within minutes. Recent research shows that over 50% of sudden cardiac arrests that occur outside of a hospital are not witnessed.
The heart’s electrical system controls the heartbeat, and when this system fails, it may trigger a dangerously fast heartbeat. This heartbeat is so fast that it causes the heart to quiver or shake instead of pumping blood to the body and brain. As a result, victims typically pass out suddenly and without any warning signs. This also renders a victim unable to call for help. This is sudden cardiac arrest. If treatment is not immediately received, sudden cardiac death (SCD) can occur within minutes.
Many people will confuse sudden cardiac arrest with a heart attack, but these conditions are not the same. A heart attack happens when a blockage stops the blood flow, and the oxygen supply, to the heart, which causes damage to the heart muscle. Additionally, a heart attack is usually accompanied by symptoms like severe chest pain, nausea, and shortness of breath. A heart attack victim will usually remain awake and can call for help. A heart attack may be compared to a “plumbing problem” within the heart; SCD, however, is an “electrical problem.” SCD occurs without warning and without the person feeling any signs that something is about to happen.
Who is at Risk of Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Sudden Cardiac Death?
The risk of SCD is higher for certain heart patients. This includes those who have suffered a recent heart attack or have been recently diagnosed with heart failure. Each year, 1.5 million Americans have a heart attack. The dead muscle from a recent heart attack can make the heart electrically unstable, which puts patients at higher risk for SCA. It is expected that approximately 550,000 Americans will be diagnosed with heart failure this year, which can also increase the risk of SCA.
The risk of SCA is particularly high for patients who have a low ejection fraction (EF) or weak heart muscle. EF is the percentage of blood that’s pumped out of the heart’s main pumping chamber during each heartbeat. A patient’s EF indicates how well the heart is pumping blood. If the EF is 35% or lower, there is an increased risk of SCD – a normal EF is between 55 and 70%.
If the doctor believes that the patient’s current condition puts him or her at risk for developing a life-threatening rapid heart rhythm that could lead to sudden cardiac death, the ZOLL LifeVest wearable cardioverter defibrillator may be prescribed.
What is ZOLL LifeVest and How Does It Work?
A defibrillator is a medical device that provides a treatment shock to the heart when a life-threatening rapid heart rhythm occurs. While some defibrillator devices are implanted under the skin, ZOLL LifeVest is worn directly against the patient’s skin.
The ZOLL LifeVest WCD consists of three main parts – a garment, an electrode belt, and a monitor. The garment comes in a variety of sizes and is made of a lightweight fabric that is worn directly against the skin and under clothing. The garment holds the electrode belt, which contains the electrodes, a vibration box, and therapy pads. The electrodes monitor the heart’s electrical signal. If a life-threatening rapid heart rhythm is detected, the vibration box will notify the patient and the therapy pads will deliver a treatment shock to the heart. The monitor can be worn around the waist or with a shoulder strap. The monitor powers the ZOLL LifeVest WCD, and has a screen to share important messages about the device.
ZOLL LifeVest is designed to constantly monitor the heart, detect life-threatening rapid heart rhythms, and automatically deliver a treatment shock to restore the heart back to its normal rhythm. The entire event, from detecting a life-threatening rapid heartbeat to automatically delivering a shock usually takes less than one minute. ZOLL LifeVest is highly effective in delivering this treatment with a low rate of inappropriate therapies. In a study of 2,000 patients, one-year survival following use of LifeVest was 96%.
It is important to note that ZOLL LifeVest does not treat all heart conditions, such as a dangerously slow heart rate, or a complete stoppage of the heart that is not treatable by a defibrillation shock. In addition to monitoring and treating rapid life-threatening heart rhythms, ZOLL LifeVest is designed to transmit patient health data after it is downloaded from the device. This information may be used by a physician to provide better medical care; however, no person is reviewing this data in real time.
Unlike an automated external defibrillator (AED), if a ZOLL LifeVest WCD patient experiences a life-threatening rapid heart rhythm, the WCD does not need anyone else to intervene in any way for it to work to save a patient’s life. SCA can happen at any time and without warning, leaving victims unable to call for help. It is therefore critical that patients prescribed with LifeVest wear the device 24/7 and only remove it for a short shower or bath. Ideally this should only be done when someone is home with the patient, if possible. When worn as directed, ZOLL LifeVest can provide a constant safeguard against SCD, even when a patient is alone or asleep.
Some of the key features of the ZOLL LifeVest WCD are the alerts and voice prompts that keep patients, and bystanders, informed about what the device is doing. LifeVest has three types of alerts – gong, vibration, and siren – which inform patients of different situations. The alerts are part of the normal functioning of the device and let patients know that LifeVest is working to protect them.
- The gong is a low-pitched sound that is accompanied by a message on the monitor. It is not part of the treatment sequence. If a gong alert is received, patients should read the message on the monitor screen to decide what they should do next.
- The vibration alerts are felt on a patient’s back each time the battery is changed. If a life-threatening rapid heart rhythm is detected, the vibration alert indicates the beginning of the treatment sequence. If a patient is alert and does not need a treatment shock, they can press and hold response buttons on the monitor to delay treatment. If the response buttons are not used after the vibration alert is received, the two-toned siren will sound a few seconds later.
- The siren starts low but increases in volume as the treatment sequence advances. This siren alert lets patients and bystanders know that the LifeVest WCD may have detected a dangerously fast heartbeat. It is important to know that only a patient should press the response buttons. If anyone other than the patient, such as a bystander, family member, or caregiver presses the response buttons, a patient may not receive the treatment necessary to save their life.
ZOLL LifeVest: Life-saving Therapy
For many heart patients, being informed by their physician that they are at risk of sudden cardiac death can be difficult to accept. It usually comes at a time when they are already overwhelmed with talk about lifestyle and dietary changes, important medications, and possible medical procedures. However, it is important to know that there are treatment options, like ZOLL LifeVest, so that patients can have protection from SCA.
One such patient that benefited from this treatment was 34-year old Bobbi Leverette. Bobbi was diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy (a type of heart disease that weakens the heart muscle during or after pregnancy) two weeks after giving birth to her daughter Journii. This condition caused her ejection fraction to be reduced to 25%, which put her at risk of dying from sudden cardiac arrest. Bobbi’s cardiologist prescribed the ZOLL LifeVest WCD to ensure she was protected from SCD outside of the hospital. The doctor instructed her to wear LifeVest at all times so that it could monitor her around the clock. Bobbi was only to remove the WCD for a short shower or bath. Determined to be there for her family and raise her daughters, Bobbi accepted the LifeVest WCD and wore it faithfully.
Just 15 days after receiving her ZOLL LifeVest, Bobbi’s heart suddenly spiked into a life-threatening rapid heart rhythm. “There was no warning. I didn’t even feel my heartbeat going fast. It was just blackness…then, I woke up,” said Bobbi. Within one minute, ZOLL LifeVest detected the dangerous heart rhythm and automatically delivered a treatment shock that restored Bobbi’s heart rhythm and saved her life.
“Definitely wear it every moment of every day, because you just don’t know if sudden cardiac arrest is going to happen,” said Bobbi. After receiving treatment from the LifeVest WCD, she immediately regained consciousness and called her husband who was on his way home from work. He drove Bobbi to the hospital, where she later received an implantable defibrillator (ICD) for long-term protection. “You value life so much more when it’s almost taken away from you,” said Bobbi. “Without the LifeVest, I would not be here.”
Another ZOLL LifeVest patient that experienced the life-saving therapy of the WCD is Lisa Sutherland. Lisa was diagnosed with heart failure just before her 50th birthday. After learning from her doctor that her condition put her at risk of sudden cardiac arrest, Lisa was prescribed the LifeVest WCD. “This was a challenging time…I was still adjusting to my new reality,” said Lisa, “but LifeVest allowed me to go home and be with my family at a time when I needed them most. It provided some needed security and normalcy.”
Only eight days later, Lisa was at home with her mother and son when she experienced sudden cardiac arrest. She immediately lost consciousness and collapsed to the floor. Her ZOLL LifeVest detected the dangerous heartbeat and delivered a life-saving treatment shock that restored her normal heart rhythm. Immediately after receiving treatment, Lisa regained consciousness. “LifeVest provided the treatment I needed to save my life,” said Lisa. She later received an ICD for long-term protection from SCA.
After her SCA experience, Lisa offered advice to any potential ZOLL LifeVest patients: “If your doctor asks you about LifeVest, say yes. And wear it every day. It can save your life…I chose to fight – and I’m living proof that it was worth it.”
At 68 years old, Glynn Crawford was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat and weakened heart muscle. His cardiologist recognized that his decreased heart function put Glynn at an increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest. The doctor prescribed the ZOLL LifeVest wearable cardioverter defibrillator so that Glynn could have protection. As Glynn said, “I didn’t realize that I was as sick as I was at the time.”
Just three days after leaving the hospital, ZOLL LifeVest saved Glynn’s life while he was at home lying in bed. While asleep, his heart suddenly spiked into a life-threatening rapid rhythm. “The next thing I knew, I woke up with my wife telling me that the LifeVest had shocked my heart back into rhythm,” said Glynn, “The alarm had alerted her to what was happening and she called 911.” Immediately following the automatic treatment provided by his LifeVest WCD, Glynn regained consciousness. He even walked himself out of the house to the ambulance. “I’m just so grateful that Dr. Williams suggested I wear LifeVest,” said Glynn, “It did what it was supposed to, that’s for sure!” Glynn also received an implantable cardioverter defibrillator for long-term protection.
While working in his backyard, 63-year-old Ray Gupton displayed the textbook symptoms of a heart attack – severe pain between his shoulder blades, pressure in his left arm, sweating, and most notably, he was awake. He was able to go inside and call 911. Ray’s doctors recognized he may be at risk for sudden cardiac arrest after his heart attack, so he was prescribed a ZOLL LifeVest WCD.
Three weeks into his recovery, while at home alone watching TV, Ray suffered sudden cardiac arrest, and abruptly lost consciousness before he had a chance to react or call for help. “By the time I started to feel dizzy and put my head down, I was gone,” said Ray. LifeVest detected the life-threatening arrhythmia and delivered a treatment shock that restored his normal heart rhythm and saved his life. He regained consciousness moments later. His wife Kathy returned home shortly afterwards. After speaking with Ray’s doctor, they called 911 and went by ambulance to the hospital. He later received an ICD for long-term protection. “I did what the doctors told me, and it saved my life,” Ray expressed in gratitude to his cardiac team. “If I hadn’t had the LifeVest on, I would not be here today.”
ZOLL LifeVest: Summary
On any given day, tens of thousands of people around the world have protection from SCD by wearing ZOLL LifeVest. LifeVest patients are able to return to most normal daily activities with the peace of mind that they have protection from sudden cardiac death. With LifeVest, patients can continue to do the things they enjoy, like spending time with family and friends or going out to a restaurant, without worrying about their risk of SCD.
If your doctor recommends LifeVest to you or a loved one, it’s important to remember these key points:
- Patients have an increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) following a cardiac event, such as a heart attack or new diagnosis of heart failure.
- Unlike a heart attack, SCA usually has no warning signs, and is likely to leave victims unconsciousness and unable to call for help.
- The ZOLL LifeVest wearable cardioverter defibrillator is prescribed to patients at risk of SCA, and is designed to detect certain rapid-life, threatening heart rhythms and automatically deliver a treatment shock to save a patient’s life.
- If prescribed LifeVest, it is important to wear it 24/7 to ensure patients have protection from SCA.
Mary Newman is the Executive Director of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation. Their mission is to raise awareness about sudden cardiac arrest and help save lives through information, ideas, and inspiration.
