Damar Hamlin, safety for the Buffalo Bills, collapsed during the Monday night game against the Cincinnati Bengals at the Paul Brown Stadium. He was given CPR before being taken to the hospital. The game was suspended as the player was critical, the NFL said. 

Several physicians and doctors said on social media that Hamlin was likely suffering from commotio cordis. 

“My prayers are with Damar Hamlin. As an arrhythmia specialist, I believe the blow to his chest during a certain period in the cardiac cycle triggered ventricular fibrillation, a condition called Commotio Cordis. It is not associated with pre-existing heart damage or COVID 💉” another doctor said. 

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“Dr. Jonathan Reiner says Damar Hamlin who is in critical condition suffered a cardiac arrest called Commotio cordis caused by a sharp blow to the chest,” a Twitter user said. 

What is Commotio Cordis?

“Commotio Cordis refers to the sudden arrhythmic death caused by a low/mild chest wall impact. Commotio Cordis is seen mostly in athletes between the ages of 8 and 18 who are partaking in sports with projectiles such as baseballs, hockey pucks, or lacrosse balls,” ksi.uconn.edu says. 

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Can one survive the condition?

As per emedicine.com, experimental data gathered using the commotio cordis swine model suggest that defibrillation within 1 minute of ventricular fibrillation onset results in a 100% survival rate and that defibrillation after 2 minutes results in an 80% survival rate.

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Symptoms

After being hit in the chest, a person with commotio cordis may stumble and lose consciousness. There may not be any outward trauma to the chest like a bruise or any indication of a serious blow. After the injury, one may not be able to detect a pulse and stop breathing. It may cause the heart to stop pumping blood effectively.

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Treatment

According to healthline.com, if you suspect commotio cordis, immediate treatment is essential. Call your local emergency services and perform CPR immediately.

Use an AED quickly, if you can’t feel the person’s pulse. It may help restore the heart to a healthy rhythm. CPR can be performed while the AED is being used, according to healthline .com.

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A person with commotio cordis should be hospitalized and observed for a few days, depending on their recovery and overall health.