Following his fall on the field in January, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has disclosed what caused his heart arrest.
The ailment, according to Hamlin, 25, is “a direct blow at a specific point in your heartbeat that causes cardiac arrest, and five to seven seconds later, you fall out.” He revealed his diagnosis of commotion cordis during a news conference on Tuesday.
Commotio cordis is defined as “a rare cardiac arrest that occurs immediately after a blow to the chest” and “induces a potentially fatal heart rhythm disturbance, or arrhythmia, called ventricular fibrillation,” by Dr. Gordon F. Tomaselli on behalf of the American Heart Association.
According to Hamlin, commotion cordis is “the leading cause of death among youth athletes across all sports” and he will be “personally taking a step” to change this fact and spread awareness.
Hamlin took a moment to thank the medical staff who treated him “with the care of their children,” he said, adding that he hopes the awareness will result in more education and access to CPR.
Hamlin began his remarks by declaring his gratitude and blessings before praising Buffalo’s “wonderful medical staff” and his “wonderful coaches and teammates.”
In a news conference on Tuesday, Hamlin declared his intention to play competitive sports once again after receiving the all-clear from doctors. Hamlin declared, “I intend to return to the NFL.”
I still have a long way to go, but I’m devoted to it every day, Hamlin said. “Therefore, I want to thank everyone for traveling with me.”
On Tuesday, Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane informed the media that Hamlin had received a medical clearance to resume playing.
In a news conference, Beane stated, “He’s fully cleared, he’s here, and…he’s in a great headspace to come back and make his return.”
A month after claiming that the medical staffs of the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals had saved his life, NFL player Hamlin told Good Morning America in February that he “eventually” wanted to play football once more, but that he was putting that decision “in God’s hands.”
In March, Hamlin appeared in Washington, D.C., alongside Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Congressman Brian Higgins to support the Access to AEDs Act.
According to a news release from the congressman’s office, “The Access to AEDs Act would instruct the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to elementary and secondary schools in partnership with nonprofit healthcare organizations.” “The grants will assist in the creation and implementation of initiatives that support defibrillator access in schools.”
Hamlin spoke about his own cardiac attack during the tournament and provided data on how frequently it happens to young athletes.
More than 7,000 children under the age of 18 in our national experience sudden cardiac arrest each year, he continued. “Student-athletes make up the majority of the children affected. According to research, one in 300 young people has an undiagnosed cardiac ailment that puts them at risk.
The American Heart Association states that CPR can increase the likelihood of survival until emergency medical assistance is received. Annually, there are more than 356,000 cardiac arrests outside of hospitals in the US. If the right procedures aren’t done right away, it can frequently be fatal.
On Wednesday, Hamlin added, “The survival rate for children suffering from sudden cardiac arrest is seven times higher for schools that have AEDs. The Access to AEDs Act will make sure that schools have the same resources and training for crisis situations as those on the sidelines of an NFL game.
