Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Young People

By Dr. Shraddha Ranjan in Cardiac Care

Apr 07, 2025

A 12-year-old’s heart suddenly stopped beating after the football practice. A young male aged 24 years sitting in the front of his office desk falls to the floor unresponsive. You might have heard of these statements in the news. Have you ever tried to find out the reason behind these sudden deaths?

Well, mostly, it’s a sudden cardiac attack! Although sudden cardiac arrest or SCA is rare in young individuals, it can happen. So, what is this life-threatening condition? What are the causes and risk factors? How to identify the disease’s risk? And is it possible to prevent sudden cardiac arrest? Learn all your answers in this article.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest: What Is It and How Common Is It in Young People?

A life-threatening emergency, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is an abrupt or unexpected loss of heart function, breathing, and consciousness. It’s typically caused by an electrical disturbance in the heart that disrupts its pumping mechanism, stopping the flow of blood to the body. While more common in older adults, SCA can also affect young people, that is, individuals under 35 years.

Now that this heart attack in young people is rare, estimating its frequency is challenging. Researchers discovered that the incidence of sudden cardiac death is more common among young elite athletes, occurring in approximately 1 out of 8,253 individuals every year. Talking about the general population, the rate of SCA in people aged 18 or less, but excluding infants, is estimated to be between less than 1 and 4 deaths per 100,000 per year.

What are the Causes of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Young People?

Sudden cardiac arrest can happen in young individuals during exercise or at rest, even when sleeping. It’s usually genetic or congenital in nature. Although all causes of sudden cardiac attack symptoms are not known, they might include:

Causes of SCA in Young People
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy	A genetic condition, it can affect 1 in 167 people. The heart muscle of the left ventricle becomes abnormally thick, making it harder for the heart to pump blood and disrupting normal heart rhythm.
Long QT Syndrome	A heart rhythm disorder that can cause fast, chaotic heart rhythm, leading to fainting, seizures, or even sudden death.
Myocarditis	Often triggered by bacterial, parasite, or fungal infections, myocarditis is characterised by inflamed walls of the heart muscle. This condition weakens your heart's ability to pump and can cause arrhythmias.
Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome	A condition in which an extra electrical pathway between the heart's upper and lower chambers creates a detour, making it pup faster.
Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia	A genetic disorder, it affects the heart muscle, particularly the right ventricle, by replacing some of your heart’s muscle tissue with scar tissue.
Coronary Artery Abnormalities	Structural problems with the coronary arteries, like the way they are connected to the heart, can reduce blood supply to your heart during exercise, causing cardiac attack.
Marfan Syndrome	A connective tissue disease, it can lead to tears in your heart’s aortic blood vessel.
Commotio Cordis	Caused by a sudden blunt impact to your chest, directly over your heart at certain points in the heartbeat cycle, can trigger a fatal arrhythmia.

What Symptoms Should People Look Out For?

If you previously had a sudden cardiac arrest, your chances of having another one are slightly higher. Other than that, most individuals are unaware of the underlying causes of the ailment and might not even show cardiac attack symptoms.

The most common symptoms you might experience before a sudden cardiac arrest are usually associated with abnormal heart rhythms. The signs of heart attacks typically are as follows:

Palpitations or irregular heartbeat
Fainting or near-fainting spells
Chest pain or discomfort
Shortness of breath
Dizziness or light-headedness
Fatigue or weakness
Unexplained seizures

Who Should Undergo Screening for Sudden Cardiac Arrest Risk Factors?

If you are young and experience the signs of heart attacks mentioned above, it’s advisable to undergo an evaluation by a professional healthcare provider. Also, since young athletes are more vulnerable to SCA, they should proactively go for regular screenings. Besides this, the following are some risk factors for sudden cardiac attacks that need prompt medical testing:

A family history of unexpected or unexplained sudden cardiac death.
Having inherited heart muscle or electrical problems.
Evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy
An abnormal, unexplained heart rate or rhythm
A history of unexplained fainting or seizure

Is It Possible to Prevent Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Young People?

Yes, a heart attack in young people can be prevented in most cases with early medical intervention and proactive management. However, it totally depends on whether the individual is familiar with his underlying heart abnormalities and risk factors, receiving appropriate treatment, and following these preventive tips:

Regular Screening: Regular ECG or imaging tests, especially for athletes and people with a family history of heart conditions, can help detect underlying issues and structural heart abnormalities.
Genetic Testing: If you have a family history of heart disease, undergoing genetic testing can help reveal inherited conditions like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or long QT syndrome.
Education and Awareness: Educating yourself about the signs, causes, and risks of heart ailments, especially sudden cardiac arrest, can lead to earlier detection and treatment.
Lifestyle Modifications: Eating low saturated fats and high fruits and vegetables diet can support your heart health. Also, indulging in regular, moderate exercises and avoiding stimulants can improve your heart function.
Medication and Treatment: In some cases, doctors prescribe medications like beta-blockers to manage arrhythmias and reduce the risk of SCA. Aside from this, healthcare professionals might recommend implanting cardioverter defibrillators in high-risk cases to monitor an individual’s heart rhythm and deliver a shock in case a life-threatening arrhythmia occurs.

Final Words

Sudden cardiac attack in young people is not common, but even a single case can be traumatic. You might think predicting or avoiding these tragedies is impossible, but proactive screening and care can help.

If you or your close one is experiencing any cardiac attack symptoms, consult Medanta’s cardiologists to assess heart health.