Recently Dr. Mehmet Oz, professor of surgery at Columbia University in New York and host of the syndicated TV program The Dr. Oz Show, took an in-depth look at what parents can do to prevent sudden cardiac death — what he terms “the number one sudden killer in children.”
The show began by reviewing the disturbing numbers about sudden cardiac death in children:
- 7,000 children a year in the U.S. are stricken by sudden cardiac arrest.
- Only 5% of young victims survive sudden cardiac arrest — but that percentage could be much higher if parents and communities are prepared.
“One minute your child is the picture of health — then suddenly her heart simply stops beating,” Dr. Oz explained to his studio audience. “Her young life ends, far too soon.”
