Running is an amazing overall workout and a great way to stay in shape. The benefits are numerous and it’s available to virtually everyone, as all you need are a decent pair of running shoes and some open space. You really don’t even need those things either considering some people run barefoot and many use treadmills to pile up mileage. Running, though, is a strenuous activity that can lead to serious complications in certain situations.
A man in his 60s experienced one such complication as he became one of the 735,000 Americans that have a heart attack annually this past Sunday while running the Chicago Marathon, according to the Chicago Tribune. Midway through the race the man suffered a heart attack and was in desperate need of quality healthcare services. Fortunately, a Chicago Fire Department paramedic was nearby the Lake Shore Drive and Melrose Street location it occurred at and immediately began administering emergency heart attack treatment.
The paramedic used an automatic external defibrillator to revive him from the heart attack and restore his heart rhythm back to normal. It’s certainly not an uncommon occurrence, as someone suffers a heart attack every 43 seconds in the United States. Larry Langford is a spokesman for the Chicago Fire Department and believes the situation could have been tragic if there hadn’t been professionals in the vicinity.
“He was down, and we were on the scene first,” Langford said. “he could have died.”
The man was taken by ambulance to Presence St. Joseph Hospital medical center where his condition reportedly stabilized. While there were other people that were treated with injuries throughout the day, his was the most serious. It’s unclear if the man, who has yet to be identified, suffered from high blood pressure, cholesterol, or is a smoker, (49% of Americans have at least one of these conditions) which are all high risk factors for heart disease and subsequently heart attacks. All things considered, a pretty lucky day for race organizers.
