How to survive the ‘ultimate medical event’
Cardiologist Dr Thomas Keeble will discuss survival and recovery from cardiac arrest
A free talk about surviving and recovering from cardiac arrest will be given by expert cardiologist Professor Thomas Keeble of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) later this month.
Professor Keeble’s inaugural lecture, which can be joined in person at ARU’s Chelmsford campus or online on Tuesday, 10 March, will explore why cardiac arrests happen, how a patient can survive, and how they can effectively recover from such a traumatic and sudden event.
A cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood around your body. Although it is sometimes mistaken for a heart attack, a cardiac arrest is different and is caused by a dangerous abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia), which happens when the electrical system in the heart isn’t working properly.
Professor Keeble said:
“Cardiac arrest is the ultimate medical event. The heart suddenly stops effectively beating, and without prompt recognition, activation of the ‘chain of survival’, and aggressive treatment of the cause, a patient will die within a few minutes.
“As an interventional cardiologist I have always believed that in association with pre-hospital providers, emergency department and intensive care colleagues, we should be at the centre of cardiac arrest care, treating reversible cardiac causes and shock.
“What I have also learned is that surviving a cardiac arrest is only the start of the journey, and that to thrive requires rehabilitation and a dedicated programme of recovery for both the survivor, their family and the rescuers.
“Over the last 10 years I have led efforts to standardise and improve cardiac arrest survival and survivorship in the UK and in my inaugural Professorial lecture I will tell the story of a decade of improvement and discovery.”
Based at the Essex Cardiothoracic Centre (Essex CTC) at Basildon Hospital, Professor Keeble founded the UK’s first Care After Resuscitation (CARE) clinic in 2014, now recognised internationally. His leadership has helped transform cardiac arrest services in the East of England, doubling survival rates by establishing dedicated centres of excellence.
He chairs the British Cardiovascular Intervention System Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Group and is a founding trustee of Sudden Cardiac Arrest UK. He also advises NHS England and the Resuscitation Council UK on cardiac arrest care.
The event, from 6pm until 7.30pm on Tuesday, 10 March, is free to attend but places must be booked in advance. Book an in-person ticket or book an online ticket.