DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Hearts all over are saddened by last night’s Bengals vs. Bills game after Damar Hamlin’s collapse.
It may have looked like a normal hit, but medical professionals say that it was extremely rare, happening less than twice during the NFL’s entire history.
It is actually seen more commonly in younger hockey and baseball players. cardiologist Dr. Brian Schwartz says that based on what happened on the field, Hamlin went through commotio cordis which actually is Latin for agitation of the heart.
He went on to add that it makes the heart move in a way that does not beat in a regular rhythm and can lead to what doctors call ‘sudden cardiac death.’
“The electrical impact right in the chest right at the microsecond where the heart is vulnerable for that causes it to lose its rhythm and go into fibrillation,” the Kettering Health cardiologist said.
According to doctors, Hamlin is likely in a medicated, induced coma as they wait to see how his body responds, but the quick action of medics on the scene is what saved his life. Dr. Schwartz also added that the next 24 hours are crucial to Damar’s life.
“If he does wake up, and he is to make a full recovery, then I would expect to run the appropriate medical test to make sure he has no other cause or other problems and that he can get back to playing football,” he added.
