What Happens After the Save: Supporting Athletes After Cardiac Arrest
When an athlete survives sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), the moment is often called a “miracle.” But for that athlete, their family, and their team, the story doesn’t end when the heart starts beating again. Surviving an arrest on the field is only the first step — what comes next is just as important, and often overlooked.
Cardiac Arrest in Young Athletes: A Rare but Life-Altering Event
While rare, sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in young athletes during sports. Thanks to increased AED access and bystander CPR education, more student-athletes are surviving these events than ever before. But survival is just the beginning.
In the days, weeks, and months after resuscitation, survivors undergo a full medical workup to identify the cause of the arrest. For some, it’s a previously undiagnosed heart condition like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or long QT syndrome. Others may have experienced a one-time event like commotio cordis or exertional collapse. These diagnoses guide what comes next.
Medical Follow-Up and the Road to Clearance
After an arrest, athletes are typically referred to pediatric cardiologists or sports cardiology specialists. The process often includes:
EKG, echocardiogram, or cardiac MRI
Genetic testing (especially in inherited conditions)
Exercise stress testing
Electrophysiology evaluation if needed
Depending on the findings, the athlete may be cleared to return to play, placed on medication, or in some cases, recommended to pause high-intensity sports permanently. Some may require an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), which brings its own return-to-play decisions.
These conversations are deeply personal and often emotional, especially for teens who have built their identity around sport. It’s critical that teams and schools work closely with physicians to ensure medical safety and emotional well-being.
The Mental and Emotional Recovery
Athletes who experience cardiac arrest often face anxiety, fear of recurrence, or loss of confidence, even when medically cleared. They may also feel isolated or overwhelmed by the attention that follows a high-profile incident.
Teammates and coaches can play a powerful role in making the return feel safe and supported. That might mean giving the athlete space, checking in regularly, or making sure they feel included in team activities during recovery, even if they’re temporarily sidelined.
Consider bringing in a sports psychologist, counselor, or school mental health resource to support not just the athlete, but the team as a whole. Witnessing an arrest can be traumatic for everyone on the field.
Return to Play: It’s Not One-Size-Fits-All
While some athletes make a full return to competition, others may shift to lower-intensity sports, coaching, or off-field roles. What's most important is that the athlete’s goals, safety, and mental health are at the center of decision-making.
Coaches, families, and medical teams should be aligned: there’s no pressure to rush back. A safe and supported return, even if it looks different than before, is a powerful success story.
Supporting the Whole Journey
At NYSAP, we focus on prevention, preparedness, and lifesaving response. But we also believe that support doesn't stop when the AED turns off.
By understanding what comes after the save, we can better support survivors through recovery, identity shifts, and finding joy in sports again, in whatever form that takes.
Whether you're a teammate, coach, or community member, your presence and support can make all the difference.
Video: Approach to the Unresponsive Athlete in Cardiac Arrest
In youth sports, sudden cardiac arrest and other medical emergencies can happen in unpredictable ways, such as during collisions or other high-impact scenarios. While CPR and BLS follow standard guidelines, real-world situations often require quick thinking and adaptations to ensure the best possible outcome.
Please take a moment listen to Ev Sugarbaker, medical student at Baylor College of Medicine, discuss essential techniques and considerations for performing CPR in youth sports settings.
Using Data to Save Lives: How Research Guides CPR Education for Youth Sports Programs
At NYSAP AED, we are passionate about equipping youth sports programs with the tools and training necessary to prevent tragic outcomes from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). The paper, Geospatial Analysis for Targeting Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Intervention, published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, sheds light on critical areas where CPR training and AED placement can make the greatest impact.
The study, which focuses on Houston, Texas, examines zip codes with high rates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and low bystander CPR intervention rates. This granular approach to mapping risk is invaluable for organizations like ours, as it allows us to target resources to areas of greatest need.
Bridging the Gap in High-Risk Areas
By analyzing the paper's findings, we can identify which Houston youth sports programs operate in these high-risk zip codes. This means that our efforts to teach CPR and distribute AEDs won’t just be widespread—they’ll be strategic. With data-driven planning, we can ensure that underserved communities, where bystander CPR is less likely to occur, receive focused attention.
Why Data Matters for CPR Education
Research like this highlights disparities in bystander intervention, often tied to socioeconomic factors, access to training, and community awareness. When we understand where these disparities exist, we can:
Prioritize training in communities most affected by OHCA.
Partner with local organizations already active in these areas.
Evaluate the long-term impact of our training programs using community-specific metrics.
Scaling Impact Through Research Collaboration
Houston is just one example of how we can use research to guide our mission. As we expand our reach, we aim to collaborate with other medical schools and community organizations to replicate this data-driven approach in cities nationwide. By aligning efforts with evidence-based findings, we’re not just teaching skills—we’re creating systemic change to save lives.
Get Involved
If you're in the Houston area and want to bring our training programs to your community, reach out! Together, we can make youth sports safer for every athlete, coach, and family.
Research provides the roadmap, but it’s organizations like NYSAP AED and supporters like you who take action. Let’s transform data into life-saving outcomes!
Source:
Raun LH, Jefferson LS, Persse D, Ensor KB. Geospatial analysis for targeting out-of-hospital cardiac arrest intervention. Am J Prev Med. 2013 Aug;45(2):137-42. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2013.03.013. PMID: 23867019.
NYSAP Begins Chapter at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX
Exciting new development at NYSAP! We have created our first student chapter at Baylor College of Medicine Houston Campus. Our team of motivated medical students are excited to bring NYSAP's message of prehospital cardiac arrest preparedness to the HTX/Harris County area. Please reach out if you are a Houston/Harris County youth sports program in need of free CPR training and/or AEDs!