What Every Athlete Should Know About Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Damar Hamlin, a 24-year-old safety for the Buffalo Bills, shocked fans and his fellow players when he went into cardiac arrest during a Monday night game against the Cincinnati Bengals. His heart stopped after he was hit during a play in the first quarter, and his heartbeat was restored by medical personnel on the field, the Bills said in a statement. Hamlin was then taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where, at press time, he’s been sedated and is undergoing “further testing and treatment.”

Seeing a young athlete in peak physical shape going into cardiac arrest is more than enough to make you alarmed about your own chances for a major cardiac event. But Hamlin’s shocking collapse shouldn’t send you into senseless panic. Here, instead, are a handful of helpful facts to keep in mind about sudden cardiac arrest in young men:

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Isn’t the Same as a Heart Attack

Sudden cardiac arrest, or the stopping of heart function, is importantly different from a heart attack (when blood flow to part of the heart is blocked). It’s an emergency event that can quickly lead to death if not immediately treated with CPR and a defibrillator.

Signs of Cardiac Arrest Are Extreme

As we all saw in Hamlin’s case. The biggest signs, according to Mayo Clinic include sudden collapse, no pulse, no breathing, loss of consciousness.

But it’s also worth keeping an eye out for other symptoms that can occur before cardiac arrest (though there are often no warnings), such as chest discomfort, shortness of breath, weakness, and a fast-beating, fluttering, or pounding heart (palpitations).

Cardiac Arrest is Exceedingly Rare in Young People

But it’s still a problem: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 2,000 young, seemingly healthy people under age 25 in the United States die each year of sudden cardiac arrest. Obviously, these deaths tend to be devastating for the families and communities impacted.