Frequently Asked Questions

Sudden Cardiac Arrest FAQs

  • No. A heart attack is a condition in which a blood clot suddenly blocks an artery and that artery’s blood flow either slows down or stops entirely. Alternatively, SCA is not due to a blockage in the heart and occurs when someone’s heart stops pumping, which is usually caused by an abnormality in the heart's electrical system.

    Unlike SCA victims, heart attack victims usually experience symptoms such as chest discomfort or pain and remain conscious. Also unlike SCA victims, most people who have a heart attack survive the event. Most people experience SCA independently from a heart attack and without warning signs.

  • SCA often occurs in active people who seem to be healthy and have no known medical conditions. In these patients, SCA is the first indication of a heart condition.

    As explained by Simon’s Heart, “There are many factors that contribute to a person’s risk of sudden cardiac death. In kids, these risk factors are often genetic abnormalities that can increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythms that can be fatal. These genetic conditions often run in families, which is why it is so important to know your family history. In addition to genetic risk factors, some individuals acquire additional risk factors as they age. These can include heart disease, kidney disease, lung disease, and high blood pressure to name a few.”

SCA vs Heart Attack
Debunking SCA Myths

  • • WWPF will coordinate program outreach through organization and individuals wanting to bring a heart screening to your community

    • Screenings will be performed by WWPF staff and volunteers

    • Results are interpreted by WWPF pediatric/adult cardiologists and distributed to families

    • Students requiring follow up are connected with the appropriate care

  • A simple heart screening can help detect problems before they become major medical issues. We recommend that all student athletes receive an ECG. If you experience any of the symptoms listed below, you should seek an ECG screening immediately:

    • Compete in high impact sports that increases your heart rate for an extended period

    • Have a family history indicating that there is a heart disease risk

    • Get dizzy during athletics

    • Experience fainting spells or weakness while active

    • Get shortness of breath that does not clear quickly

    • Get chest pain while active

  • Cardiac screening can detect a variety of potentially catastrophic genetic diseases. The simplest level of testing is an ECG, which looks at the electrical signals of the heart. An ECG involves placing electrodes on the chest around the heart to record those signals. The test is easy, painless, non-invasive, and takes less than 5 minutes. It does not involve needles, blood work, radiation exposure, or sedation.

  • On average 97% of all those screened have a normal ECG and are considered at low risk for cardiac issues. In less than 3%, results are inconclusive or suggest something that requires further testing. Most often an Echocardiogram (Echo) is recommended. The Echo is used to get a picture of the heart similar to an ultrasound to look at a baby during pregnancy. The Echo looks for valve and vein structure, muscle thickness, and proper operation of the heart. Most rarely, but most importantly, our statistics show that 1 in 1000 of those we screen will be flagged as high risk with a severe abnormality on their ECG.

  • Yes. The interpreted ECGs will be returned to the school within 10 business days with a designation of low risk, follow-up, or high risk, as well as information about particular ECG findings, when applicable.

  • Every ECG is read by board-certified Cardiologists who are among the most experienced and qualified doctors in the country. Their experience means more accurate interpretations.

  • An abnormal ECG will be flagged for follow up, which means additional testing is needed to see what is causing that abnormality – think of it as a yellow caution light. It will include documentation on what the potential problem might be. Even if your child is flagged for a follow-up, he or she can continue participating in sports and other activities. You’ll just need to have your child visit a Cardiologist within 3 months for follow up.

  • We work with another national non-profit called Dollar For that "helps patients crush medical bills by making charity care known, easy, and fair. While Dollar For does not pay medical bills for patients, we are here to help you navigate hospital financial assistance programs and eliminate your hospital bills. Our services are completely free – no strings attached." Click here to visit the Dollar For website for more information.

  • If your child is flagged as high risk, it is like a red traffic light. He or she should not participate in sports or high-energy activities in any way (practice, games, scrimmages, etc.) until he or she has seen a specialist and received clearance or treatment. If you don’t have one already, we will offer the contact information of Cardiologists in your area.

  • Occasionally results are blocked by spam folders or there is input error on the correct email. Please contact us here to request a copy of your results.

  • It’s just $20 per student. A typical doctor’s appointment with ECG normally costs $150 and up, we are happy to offer families this important heart screening at a huge savings.

  • The annual physical exam asks family history questions, and requires a doctor to listen to the student’s heart with a stethoscope. Studies have shown that this is just 1% effective in catching heart issues. An ECG can detect up to 95% of the conditions that cause SCA.

  • ECG screening should be part of the physical every two years through middle school and high school due to the physical changes and increased stresses on a student athlete's heart, which occur during that time frame. However, encourage your children to be open and honest about how they physically feel and if at any time your child begins to experience any of the symptoms, take immediate action with your child's physician.

  • No, arrangements are made for privacy. Boys will remove their shirts. Girls should wear a regular bra, which will not need to be removed.

  • Email info@whoweplayfor.org to find out more.

Heart Screening FAQs

AED FAQs

  • An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a lightweight, electronic portable device that can check for an abnormal heart rhythm and, if needed, deliver an electric shock through the chest to the heart. The shock can potentially stop an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) and allow a normal rhythm to resume following Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). According to the American Heart Association, AEDs increase the chance of surviving SCA by 50%. There are studies that show if an AED is placed on a student under age 18 within 3 minutes, there is an 89% chance of SCA survival.

  • Anyone trained in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) can use an AED. Formal training is not required; however, the American Heart Association recommends an individual be trained in both.

  • An AED is designed to be simple and used by people with little or no training. Upon turning on the AED, it will begin coaching the user through the event using audible prompts and visual cues, such as lights on physical diagrams, or even a video screen on some AEDs like the ZOLL AED 3 model that we sell.

  • Almost anywhere people gather, an AED should be within 2 minutes. All first-response vehicles should have an AED. This includes ambulances, fire engines, and law enforcement vehicles. AEDs should also be placed in all fitness centers, public swimming pools, buildings with any occupancy, recreation parks, all athletic programs, and especially in our schools.

Purchasing AED FAQs

  • An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a lightweight, electronic portable device that can check for an abnormal heart rhythm and, if needed, deliver an electric shock through the chest to the heart. The shock can potentially stop an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) and allow a normal rhythm to resume following sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). According to the American Heart Association, AEDs increase the chance of surviving SCA by 50%. There are studies that show if an AED is placed on a student under age 18 within 3 minutes, there is an 89% chance of SCA survival.

  • Anyone trained in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) can use an AED. Formal training is not required; however, the American Heart Association recommends an individual be trained in both.

  • An AED is designed to be simple and used by people with little or no training. Upon turning on the AED, it will begin coaching the user through the event using audible prompts and visual cues, such as lights on physical diagrams, or even a video screen on some AEDs like the ZOLL AED 3 model that we sell.

  • Almost anywhere people gather, an AED should be within 2 minutes. All first-response vehicles should have an AED. This includes ambulances, fire engines, and law enforcement vehicles. AEDs should also be placed in all fitness centers, public swimming pools, buildings with any occupancy, schools, recreation parks, all athletic programs, and especially in our schools.

  • No. When a person experiences cardiac arrest, an AED will improve the chances of restarting the heart, but CPR will help keep oxygen flowing to the brain. With AEDs, CPR is still needed, starting with determining whether a person is unconscious, not breathing, or without a pulse.

  • No. According to studies, only 50% of SCA victims will need a Shock with an AED. The AED treats only a heart in ventricular fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm. In cardiac arrest without ventricular fibrillation, the heart does not respond to electric currents. In such cases, the patient needs high quality CPR. The AEDs sold by Who We Play For have built in CPR coaching built into every one of them.

  • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved guidelines for manufacturing and selling AEDs. In some cases, the FDA may require a physician’s prescription. Who We Play For will assist you if you decide to purchase an AED.

  • AEDs should be maintained according to manufacturer’s guidelines and tested after each use and monthly. Who We Play For offers monitoring systems that help monitor your machines for rescue readiness.

Donating AED FAQs

  • An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a lightweight, electronic portable device that can check for an abnormal heart rhythm and, if needed, deliver an electric shock through the chest to the heart. The shock can potentially stop an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) and allow a normal rhythm to resume following sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). According to the American Heart Association, AEDs increase the chance of surviving SCA by 50%. There are studies that show if an AED is placed on a student under age 18 within 3 minutes, there is an 89% chance of SCA survival.

  • Anyone trained in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) can use an AED. Formal training is not required; however, the American Heart Association recommends an individual be trained in both.

  • An AED is designed to be simple and used by people with little or no training. Upon turning on the AED, it will begin coaching the user through the event using audible prompts and visual cues, such as lights on physical diagrams, or even a video screen on some AEDs like the ZOLL AED 3 model that we sell.

  • Almost anywhere people gather, an AED should be within 2 minutes. First-response vehicles should have an AED. This includes ambulances, fire engines, and law enforcement vehicles. AEDs should also be placed in all fitness centers, public swimming pools, buildings with any occupancy, schools, recreation parks, all athletic programs, and especially in our schools.

Volunteer FAQs

  • In order to volunteer for some of the WWPF events, there may be some training and/or event-specific requirements involved. All volunteers must be able to pass a background check with no record of a criminal conviction which would keep a volunteer from legally being on public or private school property, nor coming into contact with children.

  • All volunteers are expected to keep any and all health information they come in contact with CONFIDENTIAL. WWPF expects a high level of professionalism and respect in all areas of our events.

    1. Registration Table - Confirming the names and information of the arriving participants. Depending on the size of the screening and number of volunteers, this role may also entail directing the flow of participants from the check-in area to/from the designated screening areas.

    2. Data Entry - Ensuring the basic information for each participant is correct in the system.

    3. Heart Screener - WWPF will provide an instructional video, training, and resources prior to the screening. This step-by-step process will be made clear in order to collect a successful ECG reading from each participant.

  • WWPF ask that medical professionals wear scrubs. All volunteers will be provided a WWPF shirt (if in stock). All volunteers not wearing scrubs should wear either khaki pants or appropriate jeans and other appropriate clothing.

  • WWPF will provide mature high school volunteers with opportunities to get involved. A high school volunteer can expect to manage data entry and learn how to administer an ECG.

  • CPR stands for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, and it is a technique used to keep blood flowing to the brain and other vital organs when someone's heart has stopped beating.

  • CPR should be performed immediately on someone who has stopped breathing or has no pulse.

  • CPR involves chest compressions and rescue breaths. To perform chest compressions, place the heel of one hand on the center of the chest and the other hand on top of the first hand, then push down firmly and quickly. Rescue breaths involve tilting the head back and breathing into the person's mouth, making sure to watch for chest rise.

  • The American Heart Association recommends performing 30 chest compressions followed by two rescue breaths, and then repeating the cycle until emergency medical services arrive.

  • No, CPR should only be performed on someone who has no pulse or is not breathing.

  • While it is important to perform CPR correctly, any attempt at CPR is better than no attempt at all. If you are not sure how to perform CPR, call emergency services and they can guide you through the process.

CPR FAQs

It is important to note that these answers are general guidelines, and if you are interested in learning CPR, it is recommended to take a CPR course from a qualified instructor to receive hands-on training and further information on the topic.

WWPF Research FAQs

  • We are conducting this study because we are studying the results of heart (ECG) screenings of student-athletes in Florida. Our goal is to learn how well large-scale ECG screening works and what happens to athletes whose ECG is abnormal.

  • Once you agree to participate and sign the informed consent, you will be asked to sign a HIPAA authorization form. This form will give the study permission to obtain your medical records (athletes 18 or older) or your child’s medical records (athletes 17 or younger) related to this study. Information collected at the Who We Play For (WWPF) screening event includes age, sex, race/ethnicity, height, weight, sport, home zip code, and school. Heart doctors will re-review abnormal ECGs as part of the study. For athletes whose screen is abnormal, the research team will request related medical records from the athlete’s doctors to learn about the evaluation, testing results and care that followed, and the final diagnosis. If an abnormal screening ECG result is found, the research team will contact you in follow-up to learn where additional cardiology care was obtained. There is no additional time commitment or other requirement beyond what is necessary for the WWPF ECG screening.

  • By signing the HIPAA form, you are giving permission to WWPF and your or your child’s medical provider to disclose patient information for this research. We will only request records from your provider that are pertinent to the specific aims of the study. Primarily those related to any cardiovascular testing or diagnosis. A list of hospitals and cardiologists will be made available at the WWPF screening event, the most common locations for follow-up are listed below:

    1. AdventHealth for Children

    2. Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children

    3. Nemours Children’s Hospital

    4. Nicklaus Children’s Hospital

    5. Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital

    6. Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital

    7. Wolfson Children’s Hospital

    8. UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital

    9. Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida

    10. Holtz Children’s Hospital

    11. St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital

    12. Tampa General Hospital

    13. Children’s Cardiology Clinic

    14. Kidz Medical

    15. Pediatric Associates

  • This study will not generate individual results that will benefit patients. As we analyze the data and publish any findings, we will post them to the WWPF website.

  • If you are interested in taking part in this study, please sign up for a WWPF screening event in your area and complete the consent form for research on the WWPF screening registration page.

  • Any athlete between the ages of 12 and <20 years that has signed consent and completed a WWPF screening.

  • All study data are stored on secure, encrypted servers at the University of Washington.

    All the information you provide will be confidential. Individuals and even the team someone is on would not be identifiable in this dataset. Your data will never be sold to another entity. De-identified information that we obtain from you for this study might be used for future studies or shared with another researcher. We will remove anything that might identify you or your child from the information before sharing any research study data.

  • Being part of the study is voluntary, and you can change your mind at any time. This will not affect your status with your team sport or doctor.

  • Study Team

    • Dr. Jonathan Drezner (Principal investigator at the University of Washington)

    • Laurel Thur, MS (research coordinator at University of Washington)

    UW Human Subjects Division

    24-hour emergency telephone number

    • (206) 598-6190