The country watched in horror and disbelief on Monday night as a football game was halted because of a life-threatening emergency. Now, life-saving measures are getting a lot of attention after the NFL’s Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest during the game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals. Area residents are being reminded about the importance of CPR training. Medical staff applied CPR and a defibrillator shock to Hamlin after he collapsed on the field. Cardiologist Dr. Robin Germany hopes the broader public is inspired to take on CPR training, because medical emergencies can happen at any time, in any location.
That statistic is for cardiac emergencies in out-of-hospital settings. Germany, also a board member of the American Heart Association of Minnesota, says bystanders should know the important steps. They include calling 911, beginning CPR and then using an AED device, if available and necessary. On its website, the Heart Association has a search tool to find local CPR training opportunities.
Germany says depending on the situation, a person in cardiac arrest will need a defibrillator to put their heart back into rhythm once CPR is applied. She encourages building owners and operators to have them on hand, and for people to notice them when walking through a public setting. Germany notes these devices are user friendly.
The Heart Association says the rate of bystander CPR in North America is estimated at only around 40%, and only about one in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, so having more bystanders who know CPR can boost survival numbers.
