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Friday, November 25, 2011

Bystander helps to save man in cardiac arrest at Ottawa tennis club

By Meghan Hurley, The Ottawa Citizen November 24, 2011

OTTAWA — A bystander at an Ottawa tennis club helped to save a 79-year-old man who suffered from a sudden cardiac arrest Thursday afternoon.

Paramedics responded to a call for a man in cardiac arrest West Ottawa Tennis Club around 2:37 p.m.

A paramedic communications officer guided the caller through CPR and using a defibrillator.

When advanced-care paramedics arrived, the man regained a pulse.

Paramedics treated the man with advanced airway management and cardiac monitoring.

The man was taken to hospital in serious conditions.

Paramedics said calling 911, early CPR, defibrillation and advanced paramedic care dramatically increases heart attack survival rates.

This was the second time in the past few days that early CPR and defibrillation helped to save a person in cardiac arrest.

Bystanders at a curling rink helped save a 66-year-old man after he suffered a heart attack Tuesday evening.

The man regained a pulse after bystanders gave him CPR and used a defibrillator before paramedics arrived at the RCMP Curling Rink around 6:30 p.m.

Paramedics intubated the man and gave him medication before he was taken to hospital in serious condition.

mhurley@ottawacitizen.com twitter.com/meghan_hurley © Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen