Only 160 deaths (35.6%) were considered to be from sudden cardiac arrest from tachyarrhythmia. Of these deaths, 117 occurred at home; 58 at-home events were witnessed.
When someone reports a sudden cardiac arrest in the San Ramon Valley, 30 miles (48 km) north of San Jose, the fire department immediately dispatches an ambulance.
Previous studies have shown that earthquakes war or even the loss of a World Cup Soccer match can increase rates of death from sudden cardiac arrest in which the heart stops circulating blood.
This rapid heartbeat can lead to dizziness or lightheadedness, fainting and shortness of breath, and may set the stage for sudden cardiac arrest.
Only about 8 percent of people who have sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital survive.
