Tina Bergen, an advanced life support instructor, and Grant Louie, a cardiac arrest survivor, perform CPR and use an automated external defibrillator (AED) on a mannequin for World Restart a Heart Day. Photo / Bijou Johnson
Tina Bergen, an advanced life support instructor, and Grant Louie, a cardiac arrest survivor, perform CPR and use an automated external defibrillator (AED) on a mannequin for World Restart a Heart Day. Photo / Bijou Johnson
A Tauranga man who collapsed on a tennis court and stopped breathing for six minutes is alive today thanks to his mates’ swift use of CPR chest compressions and a defibrillator.
When Grant Louie heard Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty was holding the region’s first World Restart a HeartDay event, he wanted to share his story.
Medical professionals gathered at the summit of Mount Maunganui for sunrise on Wednesday to raise awareness about the importance of early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation.
Advanced life support instructors taught early risers how to perform CPR and use automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
Mauao has two AEDs and Mount Holiday Park has one, and all are available 24 hours a day.
They resuscitated Louie, utilising a defibrillator, while waiting for an ambulance to arrive.
He said he stopped breathing for six minutes.
Advanced life support instructors promoted awareness about CPR and defibrillation at sunrise on Mount Maunganui for World Restart a Heart Day on October 16. Photo / Bijou Johnson
He was taken to Tauranga Hospital, then flown to Waikato Hospital in a helicopter. Medical personnel deduced that an artery blockage caused Louie’s cardiac arrest.
Louie was kept there overnight, then returned to Tauranga Hospital for a further two nights. A week later, he was back at the tennis club.
After eight weeks, Louie returned to his role as caretaker at Greenpark School, and by January 2018, he was serving aces on the tennis court again.
Louie said he had no personal or genetic history of heart problems.
“It shocked everybody. It shocked me,” he said. “I did a lot of hunting and cycling – all that sort of stuff. [The cardiac arrest] just sort of happened; a freak accident.
“But ever since that day, I’ve been good as gold. I do my usual check-up and all that sort of thing. But I carry on doing what I do. I don’t push myself as hard now.”
Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty resuscitation co-ordinator Jayne Conning said all clinical staff receive CPR training annually, with those in speciality areas also receiving advanced life support training.
The location of one of the AEDs on Mount Maunganui. Photo / Bijou Johnson
“People are far more likely to survive with good neurological outcomes when they receive early CPR and defibrillation.”
The survival rate for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is 11%, but this increases to 50-74% when an AED is used, she said.
Conning said Hauora a Toi wants to normalise announcing the location of AEDs at the start of meetings, alongside pointing out exits and toilets.
It wants AEDs to become a part of people’s “normal language”.
A free responder app, GoodSAM, shows users nearby AEDs and notifies a network of trained volunteers – including doctors, nurses, paramedics and registered first aiders – when emergency services are contacted about a cardiac arrest.
Conning has advice for anyone who witnesses a cardiac arrest.
“If you find someone unresponsive and not breathing normally, call for help. Push on the centre of the chest, around one third of the depth of the chest, 100 times a minute.
“After 30 compressions, deliver two rescue breaths, enough to get the chest to rise slightly. Continue with 30 compressions and two breaths. Attach a defibrillator as soon as it becomes available.”
For more information and AED locations near you: AED Locations
Bijou Johnson is a multimedia journalist based in the Bay of Plenty. A passionate writer and reader, she grew up in Tauranga and developed a love for journalism while exploring various disciplines at university. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Studies from Massey University.
