Danish Footballer Christian Eriksen’s speedy treatment saved his life
When Eriksen collapsed at the Euro 2021 match against Finland it was the quick treatment that he received from a doctor and his fellow medics that saved his life.
Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest and was treated with a combination of CPR and defibrillation to restart the heart. Cardiac arrest is a dramatic event where the heart suddenly stops. The body is starved of oxygenated blood and without treatment will eventually die. Sometimes in cardiac arrest the heart develops an unnatural quivering just like a bag of worms. The heart needs to be reset so that it’s natural rhythm (heat beat) is regained. In the UK , out of hospital cardiac arrest has a very low survival rate (approx. 10%). With a defibrillator to hand (AED) this rate could be dramatically increased to around 70%.
If someone suffers from cardiac arrest, immediate CPR and defibrillation gives them the best chance of survival. An AED is reasonably priced easy to use – we suggest a short course to ensure competence and confidence.
Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, Associate Medical Director and Consultant Cardiologist from the British Heart Foundations, said: “Our thoughts are with Christian Eriksen, his family and the whole football community following his sudden collapse. This shocking event is a stark reminder that a cardiac arrest can strike anyone, anywhere and anytime, without warning.
“If someone suffers a cardiac arrest, it’s vital they receive immediate CPR and defibrillation to give them the best chance of survival. Thankfully it seems that this was the response that Christian received.”
Just one in ten people survive an out of hospital cardiac arrest in the UK, and every minute without CPR and defibrillation decreases a person’s chances of survival by up to 10%.
Performing CPR can more than double a person’s chances of survival in some cases.
Dr Babu-Narayan added: “Every second counts when someone suffers a cardiac arrest - the more of us that know how to perform CPR, the more lives that can be saved.
Many workplaces now keep a defibrillator as part of their first aid equipment. Training employees to use a defibrillator is easy and very cost effective. For more information about the defibrillators that we sell click here.
