Christian Eriksen collapsed during the first half of Denmark’s opening Euro 2020 match against Finland on Saturday 12th June. The 29-year old Inter Milan player received emergency medical treatment on the pitch before being taken to hospital.
According to officials, Christian Eriksen is stable in hospital. So far examinations appear fine, with no explanation as to why it happened.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) strikes anyone, at any time or place, often without warning. Fit, young athletes are not immune from cardiac arrest and sadly, SCA even occurs in children.
According to the Resuscitation Council, approximately 200 cardiac arrests occur each day in the UK. 90% of cardiac arrests are fatal. Just 10% of people who suffer a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital environment in the UK survive. This is often due to a lack of quick and effective treatment.
Life-saving Treatment
The quick action taken by the medics was key to Christian Eriksen’s survival, highlighting the importance of immediate CPR and defibrillation.
A person in cardiac arrest is reliant on bystander intervention and the location having a readily available defibrillator close by. For every minute that passes without treatment, the chance of survival decreases by 10%. Defibrillation must occur within 3-5 minutes of collapse to ensure the best outcome.
Denmark team doctor Morten Boesen told a news conference that Eriksen “was gone” before resuscitation efforts began. He added “How quickly they reacted was decisive I would say. The time from when it happens until he receives help is the most important factor. And that was a short period of time. That was decisive”.
Christian Eriksen reportedly received one shock from a defibrillator as well as intense CPR after collapsing.
In this case, one shock from the defibrillator was sufficient to restart the heart. The combination of CPR helped to keep the blood flowing throughout his body. CPR takes over the role of the heart and lungs by helping to pump blood and oxygen around the body.
Defibrillators for Sports
Whilst we cannot predict Sudden Cardiac Arrest in athletes, we can prepare for it. To do so, all sporting events should have defibrillators available.
Equipping your sports facility with a defibrillator allows you to act effectively and confidently in the event of an emergency.
Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, a consultant cardiologist and associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, 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.”
#SaveALife
Every second counts when someone suffers a cardiac arrest. The best way to ensure more lives are saved is for everyone to know how to perform CPR and to always know where your nearest defibrillator is located.
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