Sudden cardiac death: the war is far from over.

Probably the first recorded case of sudden cardiac death was that describing Pheidippedes’ collapse and instant death after running from Marathon to Athens to announce the defeat of the Persians by the Athenians in 490 BC—an event that gave birth to the marathon race. In modern times, sudden cardiac death remains a major clinical and public health problem that has far-reaching socio-economic implications and accounts for nearly half of all deaths due to cardiovascular diseases. Until four decades ago, sudden cardiac arrest had been almost uniformly lethal, and recovery would have been considered a miracle. Thanks to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), however, along with training programmes, public education, and medical advances, the odds of survival from this sudden condition have been increased.