Heart Attack on the Camino Portuguese

[suzie Gibbons]

Sad news today, I am walking the Portuguese Camino, staying in. Pontevedra and an English guy around 60yrs had a massive heart attack and fell from on his top bunk last night and was dead for at least 10 minutes. Paramedics came eventually and go his heart going again after another 10 minutes and took him to hospital. This morning we heard he's in intensive care but don't think he'll make it.
The lady who had walked with him yesterday said he was fit, didn't complain of anything untoward and was not on any medication. Needless to say all pilgrims leaving the albergue this morning had heavy hearts . I guess when your time is up, it's up.

 

[HedaP]

Sad news indeed. My thoughts and prayers are with the pilgrim, his family, the medical staff caring for him and with the other pilgrims who were there at time.

 

[JSaito]

Sad news, but on the other hand, I'm happy that pilgrim's heart is going again. I'm praying for him and hope he will make it through!

 

[David]

Sad news - heart attack bad enough but just the fall can kill you!

Does this mean that no one offered cpr or mouth to mouth until the paramedics arrived?? That he lay there for ten minutes without help?

please to tell more ...

incidentally - I know that no one really wants to drink water before going to bed - but the effort during the day is dehydrating and there is a significantly less chance of suffering stroke or heart attack in bed if one has had enough water - even better is to add a large glass of good red wine as that thins the blood.

I do hope that he survives - my thoughts with him.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

My thoughts and prayers are with him,Peter.

 

[trecile]

I have friends who just finished the Primitivo, and had made friends with a father and daughter who were walking together. Sadly, the father, age 75, suffered a massive heart attack and died in his sleep.

 

[Purple Backpack]

I'll second David's thoughts. Perhaps the major Pilgrim Offices could include a small CPR card with credentials. While Europe has wonderful emergency health services, they may not always be readily available or a pilgrim may be on a remote part of the trail. I've always felt caring for each other and ourselves until professional help arrives is the best philosophy.

 

[Jersey]

Sad news - heart attack bad enough but just the fall can kill you!

Does this mean that no one offered cpr or mouth to mouth until the paramedics arrived?? That he lay there for ten minutes without help?

please to tell more ...

incidentally - I know that no one really wants to drink water before going to bed - but the effort during the day is dehydrating and there is a significantly less chance of suffering stroke or heart attack in bed if one has had enough water - even better is to add a large glass of good red wine as that thins the blood.

I do hope that he survives - my thoughts with him.

It is incredibly sad to hear about these incidents. Hopefully he pulls through and hopefully didn’t suffer any brain damage. 10 minutes is a long time. It would be ideal for everyone walking the Camino to take a CPR course.

 

[MTtoCamino]

With each of these cases it is sad. Yet it seems it is natural along the Camino.

 

[David]

I have now made a post
The pilgrim next to you just had a heart attack?

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...im-next-to-you-just-had-a-heart-attack.50987/

 

[Panama Francis]

Prayers.....

 

[GreatDane]

My husband just finished the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path in Wales and kept findng these (and other prominently placed defibrillators) all over the place.

 

[Bala]

So sorry to read this. He is in my prayers. If you get further news on his condition please let us all know.

 

[trecile]

My husband just finished the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path in Wales and kept findng these (and other prominently placed defibrillators) all over the place.
View attachment 36503

I just heard a story on BBC about these defibrillators, and how many people are hesitant to use them, because they are afraid of hurting someone by giving them the shock. But the way that they work the machine is able to monitor the patient and only delivers the shock when it is necessary. Once it detects a heartbeat it will no longer continue delivering a shock. So no one should be afraid of hurting someone by using one.

 

[nycwalking]

God bless his family. May he come through alive and well.
Buen camino him.

 

[susanawee]

Sending my thoughts and prayers, both to the person who had the Heart attack and to his family.....May he be in the Hands of our Father.....Susanawee.

 

[KinkyOne]

My husband just finished the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path in Wales and kept findng these (and other prominently placed defibrillators) all over the place.
View attachment 36503

Great use of "former" phone booths!!!
Thanks for that photo.

 

[KinkyOne]

I just heard a story on BBC about these defibrillators, and how many people are hesitant to use them, because they are afraid of hurting someone by giving them the shock. But the way that they work the machine is able to monitor the patient and only delivers the shock when it is necessary. Once it detects a heartbeat it will no longer continue delivering a shock. So no one should be afraid of hurting someone by using one.

I've made a very short documentary about using them and they are really easy to use. Better to have two people on site though. One reading the manual and the other one handling it. I persisted to film it with people that didn't know anything (in pairs which met for the first time) about the usage just to picture as it is. And the results were astonishing even to the instructors when two "right" persons were cooperating.

Same can be done with CPR, one massaging heart and the other one giving "fake breath" (can't remember the right expression right now, it's direct translation, sorry) and then changing positions because it's quite physically demanding in such stressful moments.

I know we kind of avert from knowing this. I think it's part of a Catholic upbringing and attitude to death but really to live another few decades with knowing that you have saved a life is quite a reward. Or think of the opposite...

 

[Irish Bernie]

Thoughts with all involved but a 10 min 'downtime' without any intervention is not good

 

[Gillyweb]

I just heard a story on BBC about these defibrillators, and how many people are hesitant to use them, because they are afraid of hurting someone by giving them the shock. But the way that they work the machine is able to monitor the patient and only delivers the shock when it is necessary. Once it detects a heartbeat it will no longer continue delivering a shock. So no one should be afraid of hurting someone by using one.

That is really really useful information and should be much more widely publicised. I would never have used one as I’d have been terrified I was going to kill someone who’s heart was still beating. Thanks for posting this.

 

[Gillyweb]

Another pilgrim - a German, slightly older gentleman whom I met very briefly, had a heart attack on the Portugues three or four weeks ago. I believe he was operated on and had a stent inserted. Before I left Santiago I heard he was ok tho’ in intensive care. I don’t suppose anyone knows anything about him or how he is. He was walking with another gentleman and in the company of an older couple.
It does highlight that we should all probably have some idea of how to deal with this situation - especially as we are often in isolated areas a long way from help. Thanks to those posting technical advice.

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

I just heard a story on BBC about these defibrillators, and how many people are hesitant to use them, because they are afraid of hurting someone by giving them the shock. But the way that they work the machine is able to monitor the patient and only delivers the shock when it is necessary. Once it detects a heartbeat it will no longer continue delivering a shock. So no one should be afraid of hurting someone by using one.

I like the idea of CPR cards/(paper instructions) being provided along with your credencial or just having a basic first aid booklet in your backpack.
If anyone is in a situation which requires one to use an AED machine (defibrillators) they are very "user friendly" and will actually voice prompt you how and what to do when utilizing them.
It seems like each season (year) there are story's like this on each Camino. When my time comes I would hope to "go" while on a Camino....

 

[SYates]

Just a gentle reminder, you can't learn CPR from a video, a card, a post or the like. You do need proper instructions/a course AND, most importantly, hands on experience with a dummie. Buen Camino, SY

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

Any further word on this individual's condition?

 

[Karl Oz]

I just heard a story on BBC about these defibrillators, and how many people are hesitant to use them, because they are afraid of hurting someone by giving them the shock. But the way that they work the machine is able to monitor the patient and only delivers the shock when it is necessary. Once it detects a heartbeat it will no longer continue delivering a shock. So no one should be afraid of hurting someone by using one.

I endorse this. The machines won't work unless you follow the simple steps in the instructions. Apparently they can detect if defribulation is not required, presumably by detecting a heartbeat,and won't deliver a shock in these circumstances.

 

[Karl Oz]

Can I also recommend a physical for anyone considering a camino. There are risk factors other than obvious obesity that can cause a heart attack, such as high cholesterol, and these can be identifed via blood tests.

 

[suzie Gibbons]

Any further word on this individual's condition?

The albergue have said that the man in question was given a pacemaker and had been conscious after the operation, but haven't heard anything since, so fingers crossed

 

[HedaP]

The albergue have said that the man in question was given a pacemaker and had been conscious after the operation, but haven't heard anything since, so fingers crossed

Thank you for letting us know.

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

Thanks as well for following up on this incident. I guess if he has a pacemaker that is a better sign than not being alive to have one installed.