It’s been proven time and again that knowing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can save a life. Area residents interested in being CPR certified can sign up for courses held right here in Excelsior Springs.

While playing in the Buffalo Bills - Cincinnati Bengals game on Monday Night Football on January 2, Bills player Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest after a hit and was administered CPR on the field before being transferred to an area hospital, according to an overnight statement by the Buffalo Bills.

On-site care explanation Hamlin experienced a cardiac arrest –when the heart stops abruptly withlittle or no warning. Earl recognition of cardiac arrest improves the person’s chance ofsurvival and is key to starting the correct care of CPR and the appropriate use of de-fibrillation to restart the heart. The on-site medical team evaluated the situation and appeared to quickly remove his safety pads, begin CPR and apply the automated external defibrillator (AED).

CPR can help keep the heart pumping and blood flowing to vital organs until an electrical shock from a defibrillator is available to restore the heart to a normal heart rhythm. Then the patient can be safely moved for further medical treatment, supportive care, testing to determine the arrest’s cause and recovery, including physical and mental health resources for the person and their family.

PROBABLE CAUSES

Cardiac arrest can have several causes. Since Hamlin collapsed immediately following a tackle on the play, one potential cause could be commotion cordis. Commotio Cordis is a rare phenomenon from a sudden blunt impact to the chest causing sudden death in the absence of apparent cardiac damage.

The blow to the chest at precisely the wrong time in the cardiac cycle causes an electrical abnormality in the heart resulting in an irregular heart rhythm that cannot pump blood to the body. Immediate CPR and a shock to reset the rhythm can help the heartbeat return to normal function.

Another cause of cardiac arrest that additional tests are likely to attempt to detect or rule out is hyper trophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) or a thickened heart muscle – a more common cause of sudden cardiac death in young people and athletes specifically.

The thickened heart can be due to a genetic condition or caused by athletic conditioning that thickens the heart muscles and can make it more susceptible to an irregular heart rhythm like ventricular fibrillation/ tachycardia.

TRAUMATIC STRESS

Witnessing and responding to a cardiac arrest can be a traumatic event and may cause lingering psychological impact regardless of the outcome. Lay re- sponders and witnesses may need support and resources to help pro- cess their experience.

Responders have cited exhaustion, guilt, flashbacks, sleep distur- bances, self-doubt, anger, sadness and fear. A positive outcome to performing CPR can mitigate some of the emotional responses; however, psychological responses are wide-ranging and individualized. In situations with a failed resuscitation attempt, PTSD symptom scores were twice as high for responders as those for non-witnesses.

“This was traumatic for everyone, especially Hamlin’s family and teammates but also for so many others involved and witness- ing the event. More than 70% of cardiac arrests that do not happen in the hospital, occur in a home where access to medical professionals and an AED is not as read- ily available,” said M.D., FAHA, chief science and medical officer of the American Heart Association Mariell Jessup “Recognizing a car- diac arrest, calling 911 immediate- ly, performing CPR and using anAED as soon as it is available are critical for survival. Statistically speaking, it is likely that the person will need to be helped by a family member or a friend to survive.”

Having community members trained in CPR and AEDs in public spaces can increase the chances of survival. The rate of bystander CPR in North America is estimated at only 39-44 percent, and only about 1 in 10 people survive an out-ofhospital cardiac arrest. Improving the rate of bystander CPR is critical to increasing survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

The skill to perform CPR and use a defibrillator are the foundational components of preparing laypeople to respond to cardiac arrest.

People also need to feel emotionally prepared to respond and be able to cope with the aftermath of performing CPR.

CPR LEARNING RESOURCES

Each year in the United States, an estimated 350,000 people experience sudden cardiac arrest in the community. Anyone who witnesses a cardiac arrest in the community (i.e., not in a hospital) can perform CPR. Roughly 70 percent of cardiac arrests that do not happen in the hospital occur in homes and private residences, therefore, a friend or family member is most likely to be the person who needs to act. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double, or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival.

For adults and adolescent children, Hands-Only CPR is an easy-to-learn skill that requires only two steps: call emergency services and push fixed in the center of the chest at a rate of 100-120 beats per minute.

LOCAL RESOURCES

The Excelsior Springs Fire Department (ESFD) will be hosting CPR certification courses on the third Saturday of every month and partnering up with the American Heart Association.

The classes will be teaching heart saver/AED: Learnthe skills needed to recognize cardiac arrest, get emergency care on the way quickly, and help a person until EMS arrives.

Basic life support for healthcare providers: designed for healthcare professionals and other personnelwho need to know how to perform CPR and other basic cardiovascular life support skills in a wide variety of in-facility and prehospital settings.

For more information regarding the courses, go to the ESFD’s Facebook page for registration.

ABOUTTHE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION

The American Heart Association is a force for a world of longer, healthier lives. It is dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations powered by millions of volunteers, the association funds innovative research, advocates for the public’s health and shares lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century.