Cardiac player health and safety: a call to action

On 2 January 2023, Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills suffered sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in front of millions of viewers on Monday Night Football, and on 16 December 2023, international football (soccer) star Tom Lockyer suffered SCA on the pitch in Luton’s match against Bournemouth. These events are a stark reminder that the keystone of cardiac health and safety in athletes is a well-planned, well-rehearsed emergency action plan (EAP) with an emphasis on rapid cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automatic external defibrillator (AED) use. Thankfully, while SCA in athletes on the competitive field is infrequent,1–3 failure to immediately recognise SCA and rapidly execute an EAP can cost lives. Similar to relying on years of training for competitive sports, rapid response to an SCA requires preparation and training. Indeed, the immediate response in Hamlin’s case was planned for and rehearsed; the National Football League...
Source: British Journal of Sports Medicine - Category: Sports Medicine Authors: Tags: BJSM Editorial Source Type: research