There are also a number of symptoms and signs that may indicate that a person
is at increased risk for SCD. These include:
- An abnormal heart rate or rhythm (arrhythmia) of unknown cause
- An unusually rapid heart rate (tachycardia) that comes and goes, even when
the person is at rest
- Episodes of fainting (called syncope) of unknown cause
- A low ejection fraction (EF): The ejection fraction is a measurement of
how much blood is pumped by the ventricles with each heart beat. A healthy
heart pumps 55% or more of its blood with each beat. People at highest risk
for SCD have ejection fractions of less than 40%, combined with ventricular
tachycardia, an abnormally fast heart rate in the lower chambers of the heart1
1 Heart Rhythm Society website (www.hrspatients.org)
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