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Players from the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals watched in shock as EMTs rushed to assist Damar Hamlin after he collapsed from cardiac arrest during the first quarter of an NFL game on January 2, 2023, in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo: Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)You may recall the frightening scene from Monday Night Football on January 2, 2023, when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin experienced a cardiac arrest during the first quarter of the game.
Medical personnel sprang into action, quickly removing Hamlin's helmet, administering oxygen from a portable tank, and performing CPR for approximately eight minutes before carefully placing him on a stretcher and transporting him to a nearby hospital for further treatment.
Hours later, the Buffalo Bills organization issued a statement saying, "[Hamlin] experienced a cardiac arrest after a hit during the Buffalo Bills' game against the Cincinnati Bengals. His heartbeat was restored on the field... He is currently sedated and in critical condition."
The 24-year-old Hamlin remains in critical condition, and the exact cause of his cardiac arrest is still uncertain.
What Is Cardiac Arrest?
Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart's electrical system suddenly stops functioning properly in a person who may or may not have existing heart disease or coronary artery disease (CAD). As a result, the heart ceases to beat effectively.
In Damar Hamlin's case, the suspected cause is a sudden blow to the chest; blunt force trauma during sports activities can trigger cardiac arrest. Typically, the individual becomes unresponsive or may only exhibit gasping breaths.
If no intervention occurs, death can happen within minutes. Common emergency treatments include CPR or the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), which administers a shock to the heart to restore its normal rhythm.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that if two people are present to assist someone in cardiac arrest, one should start CPR compressions while the other calls for emergency help and searches for an AED.
Although the terms cardiac arrest and heart attack are often used interchangeably, they refer to different life-threatening conditions. A helpful way to remember the difference is that a heart attack is a "circulatory" issue, while cardiac arrest is an "electrical" malfunction.
Capital Heart CentreWhat Is a Heart Attack?
A heart attack, in contrast, is typically triggered by long-term issues in the circulatory system, even though the attack may seem to come on suddenly.
Most heart attacks result from coronary artery disease (CAD), a condition where plaque accumulates inside the arteries that supply blood to the heart.
As the arteries become narrower due to a process called atherosclerosis, the heart has to exert more effort to pump blood. Chest pain, or angina, is the most common symptom of CAD and usually signals that a heart attack has occurred. Other warning signs include weakness, dizziness, nausea, cold sweats, pain or discomfort in the arms or shoulders, and difficulty breathing.
During a heart attack, blood flow to the heart is either blocked or severely reduced. If the blocked artery isn’t cleared promptly, the heart tissue supplied by that artery can be damaged, sometimes irreparably.
The AHA reports that thousands of people experience cardiac arrest each year, with about three-quarters of them happening at home. If you face a cardiac emergency (heart attack or cardiac arrest), immediately call local emergency services. To learn CPR, visit the American Heart Association to find CPR training classes in your area.
