PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Efraim Benjamin Kramer
AU  - Martin Botha
AU  - Jonathan Drezner
AU  - Yasser Abdelrahman
AU  - Jiri Dvorak
TI  - Practical management of sudden cardiac arrest on the football field
AID  - 10.1136/bjsports-2012-091376
DP  - 2012 Dec 01
TA  - British Journal of Sports Medicine
PG  - 1094--1096
VI  - 46
IP  - 16
4099  - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/46/16/1094.short
4100  - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/46/16/1094.full
SO  - Br J Sports Med2012 Dec 01; 46
AB  - Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) remains a tragic occurrence on the football field. The limits of preparticipation cardiovascular screening make it compulsory that prearranged emergency medical services be available at all football matches to immediately respond to any collapsed player. Management of SCA involves prompt recognition, immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and early defibrillation. Any football player who collapses without contact with another player or obstacle should be regarded as being in SCA until proven otherwise. An automated external defibrillator (AED), or manual defibrillator if an AED is not available, should be immediately accessible on the field during competitions. This study presents guidelines for a practical and systematic approach to the management of SCA on the football field.