The quick thinking of two nurses and an alert motorist helped save the life of a 45-year-old man who collapsed behind the wheel after suffering a cardiac emergency on a busy road in Kerala.
The incident occurred on the morning of Wednesday, June 25, near Kalady Bridge on MC Road in Ernakulam district, where Sinaj, 45, a resident of Pallikkavala near Perumbavoor, was driving himself to a hospital after experiencing severe chest pain.
According to various media reports, Sinaj's vehicle began moving erratically in traffic before gradually coming to a stop. Unaware that he was losing consciousness, he remained inside the vehicle as nearby motorists noticed something was wrong.
Among those who noticed the unusual driving pattern was Ranjith, a resident of Kalady, who was travelling behind Sinaj while on his way to drop his child at school.
According to The Times of India, Ranjith realised the driver appeared to be in medical distress. He noticed the car moving in a zigzag manner and briefly asked his friend, Mohammed Ali, to remain at the scene while he dropped his child at school. Ranjith returned within minutes, by which time Sinaj had nearly lost consciousness.
He immediately called out to motorists and passengers nearby, asking whether any medical professionals were present who could help.
As bystanders gathered, they helped move the vehicle through traffic, while another person took over the steering wheel after learning that Sinaj had been trying to reach a hospital. Mohammed Ali also arranged an ambulance belonging to Onampilly Muslim Jamaat to transport the patient.
His call was answered by Anjali Baiju, a staff nurse at Apollo Adlux Hospital, Angamaly, who happened to be travelling on a private bus named Angel, and Aardra Raju, a nursing student at Mar Baselios Nursing College, Kothamangalam.
The two women got off the bus without hesitation, assessed Sinaj's condition, and immediately began CPR after finding him unresponsive.
Bystanders assisted by making space around the vehicle while the nurses continued chest compressions until signs of circulation returned.
The timely intervention allowed Sinaj to regain signs of circulation before he was shifted by ambulance to Little Flower Hospital, Angamaly. Anjali Baiju continued administering CPR during the ambulance journey until he reached the hospital, where doctors immediately began emergency treatment.
Research presented at the American Heart Association's Resuscitation Science Symposium 2024 suggests that every minute counts when someone experiences an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
People who received bystander CPR within the first two minutes were 81% more likely to survive to hospital discharge and 95% more likely to survive without significant brain damage than those who received no CPR.
Even when CPR began within 10 minutes, survival remained 19% higher, with a 22% greater chance of a favourable neurological outcome, underscoring the importance of immediate action.
Also see: Viral ICU CPR Video Shows Woman Doctor Performing 30 Minutes of Relentless Chest Compressions
Media reports stated that doctors confirmed Sinaj had suffered a heart attack. He later underwent angioplasty. Doctors at Little Flower Hospital first provided emergency treatment before performing angioplasty. Hospital officials said one coronary stent was implanted on the first day, followed by a second stent the next day. His condition was reported to be stable.
Reference:
1. American Heart Association. “Starting Bystander CPR Within 10 Minutes of Cardiac Arrest May Improve Survival.” American Heart Association News, November 11, 2024. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2024/11/11/starting-bystander-cpr-within-10-minutes-of-cardiac-arrest-may-improve-survival
(Rh/ARC/MSM)