MINNEAPOLIS — In the wake of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin's scary hit, the bright lights of Monday Night Football are now shining a spotlight on cardiac health.
This, after the Buffalo Bills announced the 24-year-old suffered cardiac arrest, which left him in critical condition.
"Cardiac arrest in general is referred to when the heart suddenly stops, usually due to an electrical abnormality of the heart," said Dr. Rehan Karim, a cardiac electrophysiologist with Hennepin County Medical Center.
Dr. Karim is urging the importance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation training.
"Early CPR is the key to recovery," said Dr. Karim.
Early CPR, as well as the use of an automated external defibrillator -- or AED -- were both used in Hamlin's incident.
"Early intervention is the key because if it is a primary electrical problem of the heart, the AEDs, they are a lifesaver," explained Dr. Karim.
Dr. Karim says while cardiac arrest incidents in young people are rare, there's an increased risk for athletes with a certain type of cardiac arrest known as commotio cordis.
"Any blunt trauma that happens especially on the left side of the chest, it can trigger the heart to go into an electrical abnormality," said Dr. Karim.
According to the American Heart Association, roughly 350,000 cases of cardiac arrest occur each year outside of a hospital, and the survival rate is less than 12 percent.
"We have certainly seen patients who have come in with a cardiac arrest and they have walked out of the hospital," said Dr. Karim.
He says he's praying this is the case for Hamlin.
"We sincerely hope that he has a full and quick recovery."
The American Red Cross offers several opportunities each year for training and certification in CPR and and the use of an AED.
To register, click here.
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