1.Step 1 What is your country of practice?

ArgentinaBoliviaBrasilChileColombiaCosta RicaCubaRepública DominicanaEcuadorEl SalvadorGuatemalaHondurasMéxicoNicaraguaPanamáParaguayPerúPuerto RicoUruguayVenezuelaOtro (especificar)

2.Step 2 - What is your field of expertise?

(Select all that apply)

Clinical Cardiology

Arrhythmology (only clinics)

Electrophysiology and Pacemakers

Other Interventional Cardiology

Echocardiography

Other

3.Step 3 - How would you best define your years of experience in your field?

Early career (<10 years)

Intermediate (10-20 years)

Senior (>20 years)

4.Step 4 - What type of healthcare setting do you currently work in? (Select all that apply)

Private clinic

Public clinic

Private hospital ward

Public hospital ward

Private hospital ER/ICU

Public hospital ER/ICU

University hospital

5.Step 5 - Do you consider the response to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in your region to be adequate?

Yes, the emergency system is efficient and well-equipped

Partially, but there are limitations in response time or training

No, significant gaps exist in response time and resources

I am not familiar with the OHCA response in my region

6.Step 6. Are there enough educational initiatives to train healthcare professionals and the general public in basic life support (BLS) and advanced cardiac life support (ACLS)?

Yes, training programs are widely available

Some initiatives exist, but they are not frequent enough

No, training opportunities are very limited

I am not aware of any educational programs in my region

7.Step 7. Are automated external defibrillators (AEDs) sufficiently available in public spaces in your country?

Yes, AEDs are commonly found in public spaces and well-maintained

There are some AEDs, but they are not widely distributed

No, AEDs are rarely found in public areas

I am not sure about AED availability in my region

8.Step 8. What do you see as the biggest barrier to improving the survival of OHCA in your country?

Lack of public awareness and CPR training

Delayed emergency medical response times

Limited availability of AEDs in public spaces

Poor coordination between emergency services and hospitals

All of the above

9.Step 9 - How is cardiogenetics structured in your region?

There are enough specialized cardiogenetics centers with access to genetic counseling and testing

There are few specialized cardiogenetics centers with limited access to genetic counseling and testing

Genetic testing is available, but there is no structured cardiogenetics service

Genetic testing is available only in private settings, with limited or no access in public healthcare

10.Step 10 - Have you previously handled cases of Aborted sudden cardiac death in individuals under 40 years old?

No

Yes If yes, how many cases?

<10

10-100

>100

11.Step 11 - Do you know what molecular autopsy means?

No

Yes, but I have never handled a case

Yes, I have handled a case

Yes, I have handled more than one case

12.Step 12 - Is molecular autopsy available in your region?

There is a forensic service with a protocol for molecular autopsy

There is a forensic service, but no specific protocol for molecular autopsy

There is a forensic service, but I am unaware of existing protocols

Only traditional forensic services exist

Traditional forensic services are inadequate in my region.

13.Step 13. In a patient with unexplained sudden cardiac death (SCD) who did not survive, when and how do you consider genetic testing?

Always, regardless of clinical context or victim’s age

Only if there is a family history of SCD or known genetic conditions

Only if the autopsy is suggestive of a cardiac inherited disease or if the autopsy is inconclusive and there is suspicion of channelopathies or genetic concealed cardiomyopathies

I am not experienced in this approach and there are no cardiogenetics services available in my region for this purpose

I would never request genetic testing in these cases

14.Step 14 - Do you have any experience with genetics in cardiology?

No

Yes

15.Step 14 b- If you have any experience with genetics in cardiology, in what setting? (Select all that apply)

During medical school

During specialty training

In-person course

Online course

It is my field of expertise or part of my routine.

16.Step 15 - If you encounter an unexplained SCD case in a patient under 40 years old, what would your approach be? (Select all that apply)

Clinical screening of family members

Obtaining post-mortem samples

Genetic testing of family members based on clinical findings

Genetic testing of family members regardless of clinical findings

17.Step 16 - In your opinion, what are the possible ways to collect samples for molecular testing in deceased individuals? (Select all that apply)

Blood

Saliva

Cardiac biopsy

Skin biopsy

Hair

I don’t know

18.Step 17 - In your opinion, what is the relevance of molecular autopsy in the context of SCD in young individuals?

Necessary and with significant clinical impact

Relevant only in selected cases

Has little impact on clinical practice

Still in its early stages and not yet relevant in clinical practice

19.Step 18. What initiative would be most impactful in improving SCD investigation in Latin America?

Providing access to genetic testing and molecular autopsy in unexplained SCD cases

Establishing standardized regional guidelines for SCD investigation

Expanding medical training to improve recognition and management of genetic syndromes related to SCD

Developing national databases and registries for SCD cases

All of the above

20.Step 19 - If a multicenter protocol for genetic study of sudden cardiac death in young individuals were established, would you be interested in participating?

Yes

No

21.This is a LAHRS survey which results will be analyzed and presented in scientific instances. I consent for this information to be used to this end

Yes