5 Common Causes of Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Why Public AEDs Could Save Thousands of Nigerian Lives

Femi (not his real name) resumed work on a Tuesday morning, appearing fit and healthy, but collapsed shortly after. Despite efforts to save him, he passed away. Sadly, stories like his are becoming all too common.

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) often strikes without warning, turning an ordinary day into a life-or-death emergency within seconds. Across Nigeria, reports of people collapsing in public spaces, at work, in markets, and on the road are becoming alarmingly frequent.

Experts say many of these tragedies could be prevented with the availability of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and trained first responders. AEDs are small, portable devices designed to restart the heart during sudden cardiac arrest, bridging the gap until professional medical help arrives.

Below are five common causes of sudden cardiac arrest and why AEDs are vital in public spaces.

1. Heart Attacks (Myocardial Infarction)
A heart attack happens when blood flow to part of the heart is blocked, usually by a clot. While not all heart attacks lead to cardiac arrest, they are a major trigger. Without prompt intervention, the heart’s electrical system can fail, causing the heart to stop.

2. Uncontrolled High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
More than 40% of Nigerian adults live with hypertension, yet only a fraction has it under control. This “silent killer” damages arteries and increases the risk of heart failure, stroke, and sudden cardiac arrest, often without warning.

3. Arrhythmias (Abnormal Heart Rhythms)
An arrhythmia occurs when the heart beats irregularly, too fast, or too slow. Dangerous arrhythmias, such as ventricular fibrillation, can halt blood circulation entirely and require immediate defibrillation to restore rhythm.

4. Cardiomyopathy (Weakened Heart Muscle)
This condition, caused by genetics, infections, or long-term high blood pressure, weakens the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively. Severe cases can result in sudden collapse and death without prior symptoms.

5. Severe Trauma or Electric Shock
Cardiac arrest can also result from non-medical causes, such as major accidents or electric shocks, which disrupt the heart’s rhythm. This risk is particularly relevant in high-risk work environments like construction sites or markets.

When cardiac arrest strikes, every second matters. Brain damage begins within 4–6 minutes without oxygen, and survival chances drop by 7–10% for every minute without defibrillation. Studies show that using an AED within the first 3–5 minutes can raise survival rates to as high as 70%.

Despite this, AEDs remain rare in Nigeria’s public spaces. Health and safety advocates recommend that they be installed in high-traffic locations such as airports, shopping malls, schools, event centres, stadiums, gyms, banks, high-rise buildings, security posts, and transportation hubs.

Equally important is ensuring trained personnel, security officers, receptionists, teachers, and event staff are equipped with Basic Life Support (BLS) skills to operate the devices effectively.

PPC Limited (www.ppcng.com) is among the organisations championing the wider adoption of AEDs in Nigeria. The company supplies and installs these devices in public spaces and works with institutions to provide training for frontline responders.

Public health experts stress that wider AED availability, coupled with training programs, could drastically reduce preventable cardiac deaths in Nigeria.