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14 // APRIL/MAY 2020 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM PHOTOS BY Getty Images Doctors still don't fully understand the causes of heart rhythm disorders like the one which struck St. Louis Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester during an NHL game in February, but they do know they can have fatal consequences. Bouwmeester survived his cardiac scare thanks to alert teammates, team medical personnel near the bench, and an automatic external d e f i b r i l l a t o r d e v i c e . Yo u d o n 't h a v e t o b e a n N H L player or a doctor to save the next life—you just have to be aware of these conditions and how to respond when they happen. Ventricular tachycardia ( V-tach) is an abnormally fast beating of the ventri- cles (the lower chambers of the heart). If it persists for more than a few seconds, it can cause palpitations and fainting, and eventually lead to cardiac arrest and death. There are numerous condi- tions that can lead to V-tach, even in otherwise healthy and well-conditioned people like hockey players. Ventricular fibrillation ( V-fib) happens when the electrical signals that con- trol the heartbeat become disorganized and the ven- tricles contract rapidly and a l m o s t r a n d o m l y. W h e n this happens, the heart is very ineffective in pumping blood to the rest of the body, and death can follow in just m i n u t e s. S o m et i m e s t h i s can result from a sudden blow to the chest, like being struck with a hockey puck. Other times, V-fib follows f r o m a h e a r t a tt a c k , p r e - vious heart disease, infec- tions, or other causes. W h e n t h e h e a r t g o e s i n t o o n e o f t h e s e a b n o r - mal rhythms, an AED can shock the heart back into its normal rhythm and save the patient's life, but only if someone responds quickly. Modern AEDs require no special medical training to operate, so coaches, parents and other members of the hockey family can use them if a player or spectator has a sudden cardiac incident. A l l o f u s i n t h e h o c k e y community should be pre- pared to respond in this kind of emergency, at work or at school as well as at the rink. If you see someone collapse with cardiac symptoms, get the AED immediately while someone else calls 911; then follow the directions to use the AED. P Matthew Mitchell is a senior research analyst with the University of Pennsylvania Health System and 58-year-old referee who has had several atrial fibril- lation episodes, including one during a game. WILL YOU BE THE NEXT AED HERO? Cardiac episodes don't happen often at an ice rink, but when they do, the ability to act and react quickly can be the difference between life and death. Whether you're a player, parent, coach, official or administrator, it's important to know where an automated external defibrillator, or AED for short, is located inside your rink and be ready to use it. • Know the signs of a possible cardiac event. • If someone collapses with a possible cardiac event, tell someone to call 911 while you get the AED. • Remove clothing and equipment covering the patient's chest—cut it off if necessary. • Apply the pads of the AED to the skin on the patient's chest, following the pictures on the label. • Once the pads are applied, do not touch the patient. Listen to the prompts from the device, and press the button if you are told to. • CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) may still be necessary after the AED is used. Give CPR if you have been trained in it. By Matthew Mitchell KNOW YOUR AED Jay Bouwmeester's health scare during an NHL game in February brought attention to the importance of AEDs in rinks.