Lisa • January 4, 2023
Responding to Sudden Cardiac Arrest: The Damar Hamlin teachable moment

Commotio Cordis appears to have occurred at the Bill’s game, Monday, January 2, 2023, with the collapse of Damar Hamlin. If you don’t know what this is… sudden cardiac arrest occurs after a chest blow. While uncommon, it speaks to the need for AEDs on all playing fields. The HCMA shares in the hopes for a positive outcome for this young man.

Sudden Cardiac arrest occurs out of the hospital nearly 1000 times a day from many different root causes.

Are you prepared to respond at home, at work, at the gym, or during a game? AEDs and well-done CPR can be all the difference between life and death. Create an action plan today. Download the Dr. Drill kit here.

Pictured here is Dr. Mark Link, a pioneering researcher on commotio cordis and dear friend.

I’m proud of all the researchers, clinical experts, advocates, patient safety experts, and all my heart warriors who have helped advance the science and change public policy to prepare to respond to sudden cardiac arrest. We never know when it will occur; however, prompt use after CPR and an Automatic External Defibrillator AED can significantly improve survival.

These situations can bring back very traumatic memories for families who have had personal experiences with sudden cardiac arrest. Let’s hope that all the preparation, planning, practice, and persistence will pay off for this young man… and the others who will not capture the public’s attention.

Learn more about putting together a plan for your team using the Dr. Heart Drill to prepare
for cardiac arrest response

Here are the basics of the “Dr. Heart” drill. Know the chain of survival and YOUR part in it:
● Early Access to the patient, including early recognition of the condition and call for
help. Chance of survival increases by 5%
● Early Basic Life Support (Rescue Breathing and External Chest Compressions), Chance
of survival increases by 10%
● Early Defibrillation (An electric shock to restart the heart) Chance of survival increases
by 75%
● Early Advanced Life Support (Drug therapies to maintain condition)

Do you know the difference between a Sudden Cardiac Arrest and a Heart Attack?

HCMA Blog

Medical Management May

April 30, 2025
Medical Management means using medicines and other non-invasive therapies to relieve symptoms. It's exciting that new treatments for HCM are being studied and that the FDA approved Camzyos in 2022! HCM can cause various symptoms depending on how stiff the heart is, how much scarring (fibrosis) there is, and whether there is obstruction. Some people have no noticeable symptoms. Common symptoms are chest pain/pressure, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, fatigue, palpitations, and brain fog. Syncope (fainting) is dramatic but not as common as the other symptoms. Medications are the first-line treatment for symptoms of HCM. If patients can't take one class of medication, they can try a medication from a different class. Here are some medications used to treat HCM and what they're for: Beta Blockers - make your heart beat slower and relax better. They allow the heart to fill more completely between beats. They can lower blood pressure and relieve symptoms. Calcium Channel Blockers - used to lower blood pressure and slow the heart rate. May reduce symptoms from obstruction in HCM. Myosin Inhibitors - cause the heart to beat with less force. They may reduce obstruction and septal thickness in some patients. Camzyos (mavacamten) is the first of this class of medication. For more information, click HERE . Antiarrhythmics - help to restore normal rhythm in the heart. Blood Thinners - anticoagulants and anti-platelets make it harder for blood to clot. They are prescribed to reduce the risk of stroke. This risk is higher in patients with afib, aflutter, and artificial heart valves. Diuretics , or "water pills," help the kidneys get rid of extra water and salt, reducing swelling in the body. Sodium Channel Blockers - may reduce gradient in obstructive HCM and can treat chest pain. Some also act as antiarrhythmics. Antibiotics - treat or prevent bacterial infections. In HCM, they may be given before dental work to prevent infective endocarditis. To learn more and see the side effects of these medications, click HERE .
On a green background, a line drawing of a head that has complicated arrows pointing outwards

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