Sudden cardiac death historical perspective

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Sara Zand, M.D.[2] Edzel Lorraine Co, DMD, MD[3]

Overview

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) was initially described by Hippocrates, the founder of modern medicine. MacWilliam proposed the concept that SCD in human beings is due to ventricular fibrillation (VF) more than 120 years ago, during the time when the electrocardiogram was not yet invented.

The concept of evolutions on how the relationship of SCD and VF was established, the development of defibrillators was achieved, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) methods were practiced, can provide a better description of how SCD evolved through time.

Discovery

• The importance of VF became clear after decades of exploring the scientific explanation for sudden cardiac death.

Landmark Events in the Development of Treatment Strategies

• Below is a table that summarizes the historical events on how sudden cardiac death became clear.

Table 1.Personalities With Significant Historical Contribution to the Discovery of Sudden Cardiac Death.

Name	Image	Description
John A. MacWilliam	John A. MacWilliam. (Image courtesy of Wikipedia)	He proposed the concept of ventricular fibrillation (VF is the cause of SCD in man more than 120 years ago. He demonstrated that fibrillating heart can still be brought back to normal [[[rhythm]] with injectable pilocarpine and internal massage. These later on became the foundation for a systematic approach to cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Hippocrates	Hippocrates. (Image courtesy of Wikipedia)	He initially described SCD as early as 4th century B.C. He stated that patients who frequently experience severe fainting attacks are more likely to die abruptly.
Lyman Brewer		He suggested that the first recorded VF was first noted in 1500 B.C. His original statements are found in Eber papyrus in Egypt.
Vesalius	Vesalius. (Image courtesy of Wikipedia)	He described the "worm-like" movements found in an animal's heart before death.
John Erichsen	Erichsen. (Image courtesy of Wikipedia)	He described VF after ligation of a dog's coronary artery.
Carl Ludwig and M Hoffa	Carl Ludwig. (Image courtesy of Wikipedia)	They demonstrated the application of electric current to induce VF in dogs.
Ziemssen		His experiments on women's heart were the first records of electric stimulation of heart in vivo.

Development of Defibrillators

Table 2. The development of defibrillation therapy for sudden cardiac death.

Name	Image	Description
Jean Luis Prevost and Frederic Battelli		In 1899, Swish researchers Prevost and Batteli reported that VF can be induced by low currents, and terminated by strong discharges.
William Kouwenhoven and Guy Knickerbocker	William Kouwenhoven. (Image courtesy of Wikipedia)	They observed that a second alternating current shock could still bring back the life of an electrocuted dog.
Albert Hyman and C. Henry Hyman		They invented the "Hyman Otor" which utilized an electric shock as an alternative to drug injection. This experiment was not accepted by medical community.
Claude Beck		.
Eskin and Klimov	(Image courtesy of Wikipedia)|link=Special:FilePath/.jpg]]	.
Bernard Lown and Barouh Berkovits	(Image courtesy of Wikipedia)|link=Special:FilePath/.jpg]]
McNeilly and Pemberton	(Image courtesy of Wikipedia)|link=Special:FilePath/.jpg]]
Stephen Heilman and Michel Mirowski	(Image courtesy of Wikipedia)|link=Special:FilePath/.jpg]]
Morton Mower	(Image courtesy of Wikipedia)|link=Special:FilePath/.jpg]]
John Schuder	(Image courtesy of Wikipedia)|link=Special:FilePath/.jpg]]

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Table 2. The development of defibrillation therapy for sudden cardiac death.

Name	Image	Description
University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center Resuscitation Group	(Image courtesy of )|link=Special:FilePath/.jpg]]