Vivian Reijs (42), presenter and known for her health platform Vivonline.nl, was recently hit by a cardiac arrest. What exactly happens in a cardiac arrest?
Vivian shared what had happened to her through her Instagram account. “Last week my world literally and figuratively stood still for a while. As I had a brief cardiac arrest last Wednesday. Thanks to the great help of my dear Day and the paramedics, who were very quick, thank goodness, they were able to resuscitate me. And I'm still here! If they hadn't been there, I don't know how it would have ended."
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The fear is good for the presenter. “What a mega wake-up call, as the quote says. Because from my profession and passion, I always know how to take care of myself and what to eat, drink, which supplements I can take and what to do about exercise. And I felt good physically too. But I forgot one thing in recent years...To listen to my own limits, limit my stress and take time for myself."
In a cardiac arrest, the heart stops pumping, so that your organs do not receive blood and therefore no oxygen. You become unconscious within 10 seconds and can look gray.
The most common cause of cardiac arrest is a heart attack. In that case, the coronary artery of your heart suddenly becomes blocked. Part of the heart no longer receives blood and oxygen. But cardiac arrest can also be caused by other heart problems, such as heart muscle disease, heart failure or heart rhythm disorders.
Cardiac arrest is a life-threatening situation. After 4 to 6 minutes, brain cells are irreparably damaged. After that, other organs are also damaged. By quickly resuscitating and administering a shock with an AED you increase the survival chance of the person affected.
Source:Linda.nl, Hartstichting
