How fast does sudden cardiac arrest cause unconsciousness?
Just seconds.
Here's video of Salamanca soccer player Miguel Garcia's episode. At the start of the video, Mr. Garcia can be seen in the background of the image kneeling behind the players in the foreground. Watch carefully as he stands after tying his shoes.
Although it is difficult to see, it appears an automatic external defibrillator arrives in about 2 minutes, though given the fact his shirt is still on as he's taken from the field, we note the device is on his gurney as he's hurried to a nearby ambulance. Reportedly, he survived this sudden cardiac arrest event.
This was NOT a heart attack, but rather an loss of cardiac function caused by a rapid, often disorganized heart rhythm disorder. Compare the relatively long time to resuscitation using an external automatic defibrillator verses the very rapid response afforded to Belgian soccer player Anthony Van Loo whose internal defibrillator was already installed before he played as primary prevention of sudden death from right ventricular dysplasia.
-Wes
h/t: Electrophysiology Fellow blog
Note that despite our best efforts as a cardiology community to promote the term "sudden cardiac arrest" this events continued to be called heart attacks. That is the You Tube subject head for this event. This happens all the time.
ReplyDeleteI've sat with marketing people from industry who have tried to change this. There is currently a campaign with HRS ("Apples and Oranges") showing the difference. You have brought this up on your blog before, as well.
I think it may be time to concede the fight and co-opt the term heart attack to include electrical events along with plumbing events. Maybe we could modify it as an "electrical heart attack" to distinguish it from a myocardial infarction.
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. I'm tired of fighting.
Jay
As a person living with Congenital Long QT Syndrome, I must say, that was scary. And I agree with Jay. My family will still say that my father and brother had a heart attack even though they both just dropped dead with no warning.
ReplyDelete