A 64-year old man who had a heart attack received prompt CPR. The incident occurred in the stands as the Ottawa Senators faced the Montreal Canadians. The man might not have survived if fellow fans did not rush to help him.
Prompt intervention with CPR
One of the fellow fans who was sitting in the 200 section at the Canadian Tire Centre during the game realized that something is wrong when a man sitting nearby slumped over in his seat. Lori Vanderlinden ran over to the man and started CPR.
The man did not have a pulse and was non-responsive. Vanderlinden was assisted by Lars Thompson, a physician who stated that there were many people sitting nearby who had CPR training and ready to help.
Upon the arrival of the paramedics, they took over and administered resuscitative drugs and delivered a shock with a defibrillator before he was transported to Queensway-Carleton Hospital.
According to the Ottawa paramedic spokesman, before the man was brought to the vehicle for transportation to the hospital, his pulse was restored. He was still unconscious but a pulse was restored.
The man was in critical condition at the time but his condition later improved. The chances of survival are higher if the “chain of survival” was enacted.
Importance of first aid training
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and using an automated external defibrillator (AED) can save a life. Prompt delivery of life-saving techniques improves the chances of survival during emergencies.
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LEARN MORE
Learn how to help by enrolling in first aid and CPR course and for more information, check out these sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sudden-cardiac-arrest/symptoms-causes/syc-20350634
https://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-cpr/basics/art-20056600