AMERICAN FALLS, Idaho — Quick-thinking coaches and a school's new defibrillator helped save the life of an American Falls High School athlete after the boy collapsed at practice.
Superintendent Ron Bolinger said 17-year-old Ross Palmer, a star on the football team, collapsed near the end of practice Tuesday night. The coaching staff couldn't find a pulse and started CPR.
Bolinger said another coach ran inside to get a defibrillator that the school had recently acquired. The second shock from the machine to the young athlete's heart started it beating again.
THERE IS NO REASONABLE EXCUSE FOR NOT HAVING AN AED AT EVERY ATHLETIC COMPETITION AND PRACTICE.
Bob
When you see a cardiac arrest, your brain fights you - "No, this isn't really happening" - and the circumstances fight you - "Dang! in CPR class the manikin didn't weigh very much and wasn't sitting in a deep chair. This blog deals with practical details and presents reports of "saves." Let me have your questions and comments - they will steer the course of this blog. This blog is brought to you by the volunteers at www.slicc.org
Monday, September 5, 2011
There's nothing like evidence to set the record straight.
The 2005 revisions to the BLS protocols stated that two minutes of CPR should precede defibrillation. A study published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that there was no difference in outcomes between two large groups: (a) those that had 30-60 seconds of CPR before defibrillation and (b) those that had 180 seconds of CPR before defibrillation.
It will be interesting to see the letters to the editor published in subsequent issues.
The disappointing aspect of the study is that it showed a 5.9% survival rate, where survival means discharge from the hospital in a condition that permits the victim to perform the acts of daily living - i.e., with minor neurological deficits.
This does not mean that it doesn't matter how soon you defibrillate doesn't matter. Other studies have shown that defibrillating early helps. It does mean that during the 1-3 minute time-frame it doesn't make a lot of difference.
For the sake of your family & friends, get trained in CPR soon. For your sake, get your family & friends to get trained.
Bob
It will be interesting to see the letters to the editor published in subsequent issues.
The disappointing aspect of the study is that it showed a 5.9% survival rate, where survival means discharge from the hospital in a condition that permits the victim to perform the acts of daily living - i.e., with minor neurological deficits.
This does not mean that it doesn't matter how soon you defibrillate doesn't matter. Other studies have shown that defibrillating early helps. It does mean that during the 1-3 minute time-frame it doesn't make a lot of difference.
For the sake of your family & friends, get trained in CPR soon. For your sake, get your family & friends to get trained.
Bob
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