The American Osteopathic Association‘s House of Delegates voted this summer to encourage schools to get automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to protect student athletes from sudden cardiac arrest. While sudden cardiac arrest can strike people of all ages, the majority of cases of commotio cordis — a type of cardiac arrest caused by a blow to the chest occurring at a precise moment in the cardiac cycle — occur during youth or school sports.
The survival rate for commotio cordis, now only about 15 percent, could be improved if AEDs were more readily available, according to the press release from the AOA. (Editor’s note: A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine credits AEDs with helping to raise the survival rate from commotio cordis to as high as 35% percent.)
The survival rate for commotio cordis, now only about 15 percent, could be improved if AEDs were more readily available, according to the press release from the AOA. (Editor’s note: A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine credits AEDs with helping to raise the survival rate from commotio cordis to as high as 35% percent.)
American Osteopathic Association
“The accessibility of an automated external defibrillator at schools and sporting events can buy young athletes time until medical professionals arrive on the scene,” said pediatrician Stanley E. Grogg, DO. Grogg is associate dean of clinical research at the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tulsa.
The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) represents more than 100,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and osteopathic medical students. It serves as the primary certifying body for DOs; is the accrediting agency for osteopathic medical schools; and has federal authority to accredit hospitals and other health care facilities.
States at the Forefront of AED Legislation for Schools
States with AED requirements or recommendations for schools and youth sports facilities include: Alabama; Arkansas; Connecticut; California (urges schools to have AEDs); Florida; Georgia; Hawaii (effective 2014-2015 school year); Illinois; Maine (for extracurricular activities); Maryland; Michigan; Nevada; New Jersey; New York; Ohio; Oklahoma; Oregon (effective January 2015); Pennsylvania; South Carolina; Tennessee; and Texas.
Please visit the Cardiac Science AED Legislation Search page for state-by-state information on AED-related laws and legislation.
Why Commotio Cordis in School Sports is a Major Concern
A line drive, a blow from a lacrosse ball or hockey puck, or even a hard tackle at a football game can send a young athlete’s heart into commotio cordis. Similarly, sports exertion can trigger undiagnosed heart conditions in seemingly healthy young people. In these situations a nearby AED, and bystanders ready to use it, can make a life-or-death difference.
That was the case last September 9, when Alex Templeton, a seventh grader, collapsed on the football field at his high school near Fort Worth, Texas, after tackling another player. Fortunately, Azle Junior High School had an AED on hand. Coaches, a school nurse, and a member of the Fort Worth Fire Department came to Alex’s aid, starting CPR and attaching the AED, which administered a shock. Alex’s heartbeat was started, and he was taken to the hospital. The local news station reported that less than a week later, he was back at school. His high school told the media that it was ordering more AEDs to have them available for all school sports. The Powerheart G3 AED used in Alex’s rescue had been donated by Laura Friend and “Run for Sarah” in 2006.
That same month, David Wiganowski, a senior at Rudder High in Bryant, Texas, experienced sudden cardiac arrest and collapsed in the fourth quarter of a game. The school’s trainers used CPR and a Powerheart G3 AED to revive him. The Eagle reported that Wiganowski was hospitalized to have a defibrillator implanted, and was back at school later that month to thank his rescuers.
Sadly, lacrosse recently lost a 12-year-old player from upstate New York to commotio cordis. According to media reports, Tyler Kopp was hit in the chest by the ball during a routine play; an off-duty firefighter at the game came to the boy’s aid and administered CPR until an ambulance arrived with an AED. The boy was transported to a nearby hospital, where he later died.
Cardiac Science works with partners including School Health and US Lacrosse to make AEDs more readily available for schools, sports leagues, and recreation centers and to promote AED awareness. For more information on life-saving AED programs, please contact a Cardiac Science AED specialist.
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Tue, Aug 14, 2012 |
AED Partnerships, AEDs, Featured