A public defibrillator and the quick thinking of a personal trainer helped save a 57-year-old man who went into sudden cardiac arrest while working out at a Goodlife Fitness Centre on Monday.
Ottawa paramedics were called after the man had a seizure while participating in a spinning class at the gym on Tenth Line Road at about 8:30 a.m. A few minutes later, the man stopped breathing and went into cardiac arrest.
A male personal trainer saw the man collapse and immediately initiated CPR and used a public defibrillator to treat the man. After two shocks, his heartbeat was back.
Two Goodlife Fitness members, including a trained respiratory therapist, helped treat the man. Paramedics assisted by phone until emergency workers arrived on scene.
The patient was treated by paramedics and rushed to hospital where he was listed in critical condition Monday morning.
Paramedics credit the personal trainer and bystanders for doing an excellent job treating the patient.
"Not only is this patient's chances of survival better, but the quality of life after survival is much improved," said paramedic Deanna Schofield.
Goodlife Fitness just installed defibrillators three months ago after several people had collapsed in its gyms. Now, the fitness centre also offers patrons courses in CPR and how to use a defibrillator.
"Normally at a gym, people exert themselves to the limit and it seems like a logical place to have a defibrillator," said Tarek Rabie, a Goodlife Fitness member who is taking the course.
It's estimated Ottawa has about 700 defibrillators in private and public places. Your chances of surviving a cardiac arrest if you're treated with CPR only are about five per cent. If you add a defibrillator, your chances jump to 65 per cent.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Joanne Schnurr
