Damar Hamlin

[RayneCajun]

As an experienced ICU RN…

To clarify, all accounts have noted he went into cardiac arrest, and did not have a “heart attack”

Heart attack is associated to myocardial infarction, or heart tissue damage due to lack of blood flow (usually coronary artery disease).

Cardiac arrest (heart stopped) is usually due to an injury caused to the heart (trauma I.e. hit to the chest) or cardiac dysrhythia (electrical disTurbinece or electrolyte irregularity)

Cardiac arrest and heart attack are 2 different processes or diagnosis, however heart attack can lead to cardiac arrest.

As far as I’ve read, he had no prior history of heart disease (of which physical exam in NFL or NCAA would have likely detected by now)

In all likelihood, he went into dysthymia due to an unfortunate hit at the wrong time. Likely causing him to go into VTAC or Vfib, both are medical emergency, however vfib is incompatible with meaningful circulation.

Cardiac arrest with extended period of CPR required will most times lead to several processes to take place afterwards, all of which include life support with ventilation, Neuro monitoring, and cardiac monitoring.

Some of the other details released by family have made me lean towards traumatic injury to his chest causing the cardiac arrest. The fact that someone in his ring of “people in the know” mentioned he was laying on his stomach in the ICU, that would indicate breathing issues. This process is called “prone”. Most persons placed in this position have had extensive lung disease or traumatic injury (I placed more persons in prone than I can remember during the bad covid times).

Some family did mentioned that he was “improving” and he was requiring less 02. The o2 requirement being reduced is good, however their is much more involved in mechanical ventilation than just oxygen…the supportive measures provided by the ventilator will be a much better indicator of how he is truly improving. How much PEEP (positive expiratory pressure) and respiration rate. The less PEEP and respiratory rate that the ventilator requires directly correlates to how much he is breathing on his own. I’ve had patients requiring no extra 02 however the ventilator is providing 100% of the work because the patient cannot take a breath on their own. Of which happens with severe brain injury, due to traumatic injury or lack of blood flow. The latter would be his biggest concern due to requiring CPR, however he is young and it does present a higher chance of recovery.


Just wanted to clarify since you mentioned he had a heart attack and to offer further insight from someone that has personally taken care of numerous persons in ICU with all of the above mentioned issues.

I don't know where you work, but you may have helped save my life or took care of me. In December 2019, I was brought to LGMC as a trauma 2 patient and should have died on the way there. I was in ICU for 10 days. If you were, I just want to say thank you!!!
If you work elsewhere, I still want to say thank you anyway for what ya'll do. People like you are doing God's work!!

Geaux Cajuns!!!

[CajunsHat]

Question if you don't mind? what are the odds we ever see a toxicology report? What are the chances he might have chugged a couple of 5 hour energy drinks before he took the place of the original player who was injured?

1. They might have done a UDS (urine drug screen) upon admission to ER. But that would test for everyday illicit drugs (nothin in a 5 hour energy).

2. I personally Doubt any of that had anything todo with it. See my previous opinions on the evidence we know of.

[CajunsHat]

I don't know where you work, but you may have helped save my life or took care of me. In December 2019, I was brought to LGMC as a trauma 2 patient and should have died on the way there. I was in ICU for 10 days. If you were, I just want to say thank you!!!
If you work elsewhere, I still want to say thank you anyway for what ya'll do. People like you are doing God's work!!

Geaux Cajuns!!!

I would have been working at LGMC ICU at that time. I have taken care of many trauma patients. And I may have cared for you. It’s a big ICU, and now it’s even bigger as of recent additions…so who knows lol

[Bandwagon King]

1. They might have done a UDS (urine drug screen) upon admission to ER. But that would test for everyday illicit drugs (nothin in a 5 hour energy).

2. I personally Doubt any of that had anything todo with it. See my previous opinions on the evidence we know of.

I've now heard a few different physicians as well as yourself say & please correct me if I'm wrong, but the hit just happening at the right millisecond in the right spot could have literally caused his cardiac arrest. The only problem I have with this train of thought is if this is what you are saying & is the case, then how does this not happen more often as there are hits like this & in many cases having seemingly much greater impact in the same area of the body on a weekly basis at pretty much every level of play in football as well as hockey & rugby. Also, thank you for your enlightenment & the job you do as well.

[CajunsHat]

I've now heard a few different physicians as well as yourself say & please correct me if I'm wrong, but the hit just happening at the right millisecond in the right spot could have literally caused his cardiac arrest. The only problem I have with this train of thought is if this is what you are saying & is the case, then how does this not happen more often as there are hits like this & in many cases having seemingly much greater impact in the same area of the body on a weekly basis at pretty much every level of play in football as well as hockey & rugby. Also, thank you for your enlightenment & the job you do as well.

There’s no way to answer that question.

All it takes is the one moment to have impact at just a precise time to cause the sequence of events to take place that we witnessed. The same thing can be said about a lot of injuries…same tackle can take place over and over again, then one tackle causes injury by just the right circumstances

[CajunVic]

This might be helpful.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commotio_cordis

[Bandwagon King]

There’s no way to answer that question.

All it takes is the one moment to have impact at just a precise time to cause the sequence of events to take place that we witnessed. The same thing can be said about a lot of injuries…same tackle can take place over and over again, then one tackle causes injury by just the right circumstances

But wouldn't it be more likely that a possible pre-existing condition would have been exposed due to the stress of just making a high energy play which would cause the heart to fail as opposed to that of an impact? And I'm thinking back to guys like Maravich who even though he was 40, he was still in great physical condition & supposedly lived a healthy life style when he keeled over after playing a half court pick up game at his church, or Hank Gathers who dropped dead during a basketball game. Then there's the player from Detroit who also died of cardiac arrest from blockages in 71.

And I'm hoping it is something else other than what you & some of the physicians I have heard speak on the matter are referring to. Let's face it. There is already a huge push by the NFL to legislate the physicality out of the sport. I'm concerned that an incident like this could cause the league to decide to go to straight flag football which would ruin the sport all together. So goes the NFL, so goes everything under the NFL.

[JMV JustMyView]

I don't know where you work, but you may have helped save my life or took care of me. In December 2019, I was brought to LGMC as a trauma 2 patient and should have died on the way there. I was in ICU for 10 days. If you were, I just want to say thank you!!!
If you work elsewhere, I still want to say thank you anyway for what ya'll do. People like you are doing God's work!!

Geaux Cajuns!!!

I agree. Can't thanks those folks enough.

[HelmutVII]

Even though the young man is getting better I suspect he has played his last football game.

[JMV JustMyView]

Even though the young man is getting better I suspect he has played his last football game.

Just curious what makes you say think that?