What happened to Damar Hamlin?
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(CNN) --
If you suspect someone is in cardiac arrest, there are some simple actions you can take right away that could mean the difference between life and death.
Between 70% and 90% of people who experience cardiac arrest in the US die before reaching the hospital because those around them don't always know how to help them.
What happens in a cardiac arrest?
Cardiac arrest occurs when a person's heart suddenly stops beating.
"The most common rhythm is ventricular fibrillation, which is basically like your heart is a bag of worms. It beats chaotically and is no longer able to pump effectively," explains Dr. Christine Albert, director of the Department of Cardiology at Smidt Heart Institute of Los Angeles.
What are cardiac arrest, heart attack, and heart failure?
"The person collapses because the brain stops working, and there are a couple of minutes in which you have to try to get that rhythm back to normal."
Warning signs can be shortness of breath, palpitations, weakness, and chest discomfort.
But more often than not, cardiac arrest occurs without warning.
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A person in cardiac arrest does not have a pulse and does not respond to sounds or touch.
He will stop breathing or make gasping sounds, which are not actual breathing, but rather a reflex that occurs when the brain does not receive enough oxygen.
Causes of cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest can be caused by irregular heart rhythms called arrhythmias.
Heart failure can cause it, as can a thickening of the heart muscle called cardiomyopathy.
Cardiac arrest can follow a heart attack, which is when an obstruction prevents the heart from getting enough blood.
The muscle begins to die, but unlike cardiac arrest, it continues to pump.
It can also be caused by electrocution, drowning, suffocation, respiratory distress, or trauma.
A hard blow to the chest, as in the case of a baseball player, can cause the heart to miss a beat.
What to do first: call 911, use a defibrillator
If you see someone with symptoms of cardiac arrest, call 911 immediately.
You will want to get professional help as soon as possible.
When the heart cannot pump blood to the brain and lungs, the person can suffer brain damage or die within minutes.
If there is someone else around, divide the tasks.
One person should call 911 while the other looks for an automated external defibrillator, or AED.
Defibrillators are often available in public places like airports.
Credit: Andrulik/Adobe Stock
These lightweight devices can restore a person's heart to a normal rhythm.
They are usually found in public places such as airports, offices and schools.
An AED may seem intimidating, but it is designed to be used by anyone, even untrained bystanders.
By pressing the power button, the device will give step-by-step voice instructions on where to place the electrode pads on the person's chest.
Once the pads are in place, the device measures the person's heart rate.
It will not apply a shock if the person does not need it.
But if it needs it, the AED will tell you to stand back and push a button to deliver the shock.
What happens when an apparently healthy athlete has a cardiac arrest?
Start cardiopulmonary resuscitation
After using the AED—or right away, if you don't have access to one—start chest compressions or CPR.
Place your hands in the center of the person's chest and press hard at a rate of 100 to 120 beats per minute.
It can help to hum a song in this rhythm, such as "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees;
Justin Timberlake's "Can't Stop the Feeling";
or "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga.
"You're literally acting like an external heart," said Dr. Comilla Sasson, a practicing emergency physician and vice president of science and innovation for cardiovascular emergency care at the American Heart Association.
It can be tiring, so if someone is around, ask them to fill in for you when you need a break.
If they don't know CPR, ask them to observe you first.
"That's what we do in the ER," Sasson explains.
If you lock your elbows, you will have more strength to push.
For an adult, it is normal to use both hands for chest compressions.
But if you're helping a baby, use a hand.
It may help to hum a tune to maintain proper rhythm during chest compressions.
Credit: athima tongloom/Moment RF/Getty Images
"Some people ask me, 'What if I do chest compressions and break a rib and hurt them? I tell them that person is literally dead and if they're lucky enough to wake up because you gave them chest compressions, they'll be glad to see you. that you helped save his life. There are a small number of people who break a rib," Sasson explains.
how to train
Many organizations offer CPR and AED training.
The American Heart Association and the Red Cross offer in-person and online courses, as do many local organizations.
plan
Sasson says it's important for parents of young athletes to have a discussion with the child's coach to make sure they have a cardiac response plan in place that includes CPR and an AED.
If someone has an incident at school, in the field or during an extracurricular activity, everyone will know what to do.
Families should also make sure they have a plan at home just in case.
"Who is going to call 911? Who is going to start chest compressions? Who is going to answer the door when the ambulance arrives? Talking about it helps. I look at it as a tornado drill," Sasson says.
"Hopefully, you never need to know what to do, but if that situation does occur, you'll want to have a plan for what you're going to do to help keep your loved one alive."
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