Re: Thought on Damar Hamlin: While unlikely, the cardiac arrest

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Earnhardt's death in 2001 led to some high level safety changes in NASCAR for head and neck protection, including the harness the drivers now where.

Also, in 1989, Bull Rider Lane Frost died after being hit in the back by a bull that broke ribs and severed an artery. After that, Rodeo started the move for bull riders to wear a protective vest made of foam, kevlar and covered in leather. It was originally optional but is now required by all.

If the Damar Hamlin injury/cardiac arrest is a result from being hit in the chest and not a previously undetected medical condition, I can see changes coming to increase chest protection.

Also, like helmets and shields in hockey and reduced speed limits, 4 way stop signs and red lights, unfortunately changes come after tragedies.

Message was edited by: saddis56®

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Entirely possible. It could be that he was born with a

Jan 3, 2023, 1:03 PM

faulty valve or has an electrical problem that has never manifested symptoms or has otherwise gone undiagnosed.

I know that I had several dizzy/near fainting spells while playing sports as a teenager and young adult. The standard exams and tests revealed nothing. I had a few more of these episodes as I got older, but nope, your heart seems normal, everything checks out, etc.. Then, when I was 56 years old, a new doctor was examining me and said "How long have you had this heart murmur?". I said "I don't have a heat murmur". He looked at me, held up his stehescope and said "Stethescope", ponited to himself and said "Doctor", then pointed to my chest and said "Heart murmur". I was shocked. Sent me to a cardiologist where it was discoverd that I was born with a bicusped (instead of tricuspid) aortic heart valve. I had it replaced shortly thereafter. Less than a year later, my heart went into tachycardia, and I passed out momentarily. When I got to the hospital my heart rate was 300 beats per minute. I passed out again and was saved with the paddles. Turns out I had an electrical problem with my heart. An ablation procedure was unsuccessful, and a pacemeker/defibrilator was implanted.

Turns out I'd been born with an effed up heart, but it all went undiagnosed and undetected for most of my life even though it was likely causing me problems along the way. In Hamlin's case, we don't know yet, but it's very possible he could have has some undetected heart issue. However, it's reasonable to think that the impact of the tackle is the most likely explanation at this point. We can assume nothing.