Damar Hamlin: Local cardiologist describes injury sustained during Bengals, Bills game

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals Monday Night Football game with the Buffalo Bills was postponed after a Buffalo Bills player was taken off the field in an ambulance.

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after being hit, but his heartbeat was restored by medical personnel.

While reaction to Hamlin’s injury continues to pour in, the former University of Pittsburgh star remains fighting for his life.

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A fight that one local doctor believes won’t be known for quite some time.

“Typically when that happens the heart just starts quivering instead of squeezing in a synchronized way. The blood’s not pumping and in a matter of eight to 12 seconds someone will pass out from that,” Kettering Health Cardiologist Dr. Brian Schwartz said.

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Schwartz said the hit occurred at the exact microsecond needed to produce a worst-case scenario. Although his heartbeat was restored the next few hours will be critical for Hamlin, Schwartz said.

“For the first 24 to 48 hours [doctors] are going to paralyze him, going to put him on sedatives, keep him on a ventilator to keep his body cool and gradually rewarm him,” Schwartz explained.

Schwartz also added that this type of injury is most often seen in younger males between the ages of 14 and 25 and in sports like hockey or baseball.

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