Steven LinesCARDIAC ARREST survivor

On a summer’s evening in July last year, Steven collapsed while at home in Okehampton. Fortunately, Steven’s wife was present and able to quickly call 999 to get help. From the information she relayed to the Ambulance Service call taker, it was soon identified that Steven’s heart had stopped beating; he had suffered a cardiac arrest. This is the most serious of medical conditions as less than 10% of patients survive a cardiac arrest outside of hospital.

At the same time as an ambulance being dispatched, Darren, one of our Volunteer Responders and Advanced Paramedic in Critical Care, who lives locally to where Steven had collapsed, was alerted by the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) Dispatcher in Ambulance Control. He was able to stop what he was doing and respond immediately in his car. Due to the severity of the incident, the HEMS Dispatcher also requested our Critical Care Team attend by helicopter from Exeter.

When Darren arrived, Steven’s wife and his son were undertaking chest compressions on Steven. Although he had no pulse, he was making some abnormal breathing gasps. This is common in the early stages of a cardiac arrest and indicated that Steven’s brain was unconsciously still attempting to provide some oxygen to his brain.

Darren quickly attached the defibrillator that showed Steven’s heart wasn’t beating effectively and required an electric shock. The rhythm is known as ventricular fibrillation (where the heart is in a state of electrical chaos) and the defibrillator acts to temporarily stun to stop the heart, with the aim of restoring a normal rhythm and pulse. In Steven’s case it was necessary to deliver seven shocks before a normal rhythm could be achieved.

Fortunately, by now Darren had received support from the ambulance service and the helicopter was also landing near to Steven’s address. Although his condition had now improved, he was still very unstable, and the following minutes and hours would prove critical. To improve and optimise Steven’s likelihood of a good outcome, the Devon Air Ambulance Critical Care Team placed Steven in an induced coma so they could take over and manage his breathing and circulation.

The Critical Care Team were able to stabilise his condition further in-flight and he was handed over to the care of the Cardiology Team at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital. Cardiologists then fitted

Did you know know?

72% of Cardiac Arrests happen at home a stent into Steven’s coronary artery to relieve the blockage that had caused a heart attack, leading to the cardiac arrest.

Steven spent the next 11 days in hospital before he was well enough to be discharged where he was able to continue his recovery in the company of his family. He has absolutely no recollection of that day and still finds the reminder of what happened a very emotional experience.

He wrote to us to say: “To the crew and all the supporting staff that keep that aircraft in the sky, and to the pilot, doctor and paramedics, that kept me alive until I got to the RD&E, thank you. And thank you to all the fundraisers and charity workers that volunteer their time every week, because of all of you I am on the road to recovery.”

Steven’s sister was also kind enough to provide a donation to the charity in response to us having helped to save her brother’s life.

We are so pleased to hear how well Steven is doing. Darren recently welcomed him and his family to our airbase where they had the opportunity to see the helicopter up close. It was our pleasure to have been able to help Steven in his time of need. 