Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest after collapsing during Monday night’s NFL game between the Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals. Doctors performed CPR on the baller on the field, before rushing him to a local hospital, Media Take Out reported.
Now we’ve learned that Damar suffered a second cardiac arrest, according to his uncle.
“His heart had went out so they had to resuscitate him twice,” Hamlin’s uncle, Dorrian Glenn told CNN‘s Adrienne Broaddus. “They resuscitated him on the field before they brought him to the hospital and then they resuscitated him a second time when they got him to the hospital.”
Damar, 24, went into cardiac arrest after a hard tackle with Bengals player Tee Higgins during the 1st quarter.
TV’s Dr. Drew weighed in on speculation that a hard hit triggered an extremely rare cardiac condition called Commotio cordis.
“In my experience [with Commotio Cordis] they are flaccid immediately… this was not that. This was stood up, walked, and then down! Just fell backwards.”
According to the doctor, Damar’s heart stopped which cut off the oxygen supply to his brain, causing a condition known as anoxic encephalopathy. Doctors agree that he may have suffered brain damage from lack of oxygen.
And the second cardiac arrest, may have done even more damage.
A first heart attack is a serious, life-changing event, although most people now survive them. But a new study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, underscores the importance of doing everything possible to avoid another one.
“It’s like taking another hit,” said Dr. Umesh Khot, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. “One heart attack is a lot, and having another one is a big hit on the heart.”