Written by Valarie Walker, RN, Coordinator for Healthy Lives Healthy Choices
Damar Hamlin has now become a household name as the event of his cardiac arrest unfolds. While playing football, the Buffalo Bills Safety player received a hit to the chest on January 2, 2023. He did get up after his hit to the chest and then suffered an almost immediate collapse due to cardiac arrest. Medical professionals are weighing in and believe he suffered from Commotio Cordis, a sudden cardiac death after being struck in the chest.
It is believed that when the strike to the chest hits at a certain time in the cardiac cycle, it causes ventricular fibrillation. Ventricular fibrillation is a cardiac arrhythmia that does not allow blood flow to be circulated out of the heart and leads to death if not intervened upon. Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is more common than we would like to think. The best tool for the survival of someone suffering from cardiac arrest is early recognition of the cardiac arrest, activating emergency services, starting bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and early defibrillation.
Survival rates have improved with hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). It is important to have quality chest compressions that help circulate the blood out of the heart. Early blood circulation saves tissue, including brain function, by providing needed oxygen to those tissues. The chance of death increases by 10% each minute as the brain goes without oxygen. Cardiac arrest can happen anywhere and with simple training, you can save a life like Darmar Hamlin’s with hands-only CPR.
How the Heart Works
Blood returns to the right side of the heart once the tissues in the body have used the needed oxygen. Once returned to the right side of the heart, it is then pumped to the lungs. The lungs oxygenate the blood and return the oxygen-rich blood to the left side of the heart. The left side of the heart then pumps the oxygenated blood out to the body for the tissue to use oxygen for cell needs.
Why Does Hands-Only CPR Work
Hands-only CRP works so well because it starts chest compressions sooner, which is essential for blood circulation during cardiac arrest. Hands-only CPR should be started immediately after emergency services have been contacted. Once help has been secured, no breaths are needed before starting chest compression.
Since there is no moving back and forth from chest compressions to rescue breaths, hands-only CPR takes less energy from the bystander performing the chest compressions, allowing for a better and longer duration of chest compression improving survival rates.
As we celebrate Heart Month in February, please consider becoming CPR certified. You never know when you might be needed. It could be for a loved one or even someone you do not know, but you can save a life!t Join us on Saturday, February 18th from 10am-1pm at the Alice Keene Park for a “Go Red” Heart Healthy Event sponsored by Healthy Lives, Healthy Choices to learn more about CPR resources and other heart healthy information.