On September 14, 2007, Lorenz Diesbergen, age 44, stepped off a commuter train in downtown Chicago and began his daily walk to work in the Chicago Loop. As he crossed the bridge over the Chicago River, his heart’s normal rhythm suddenly deteriorated into an uncoordinated frenzy of useless fibrillations. He may have managed a few more steps—we don’t know—before he pitched forward and fell face-first onto the sidewalk. Paramedics were on the scene within minutes, but efforts at resuscitation proved futile. He left behind a wife and four children.
Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) is the medical term that describes sudden death due to rapid and catastrophic failure of the heart’s pumping function (without warnings signs). SCD usually arises from an unstable arrhythmia arising in the heart’s left ventricle, and it results in the immediate loss of blood pressure needed to keep the brain and other vital organs alive.
While implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are available as a life-saving treatment option for those deemed to be at high risk of ventricular arrhythmia, currently there are no diagnostic tests to predict which patients are most at risk of suffering SCD. The Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) that are commonly seen in restaurants, airports and government offices can be used to save the life of someone with SCD—but survivability after an SCD event decreases 10% per minute , so even a short delay between heart stoppage and medical intervention can be catastrophic. An implanted defibrillator fires almost instantaneously following an arrhythmia, thereby providing the greatest chance for survival.
Within the asset management firm where Lorenz worked, one of those most deeply affected by the tragedy was the firm’s biotech analyst, Charles Polsky. The two were close in age, both fathers of four, and were good friends. In addition, Charles is an MD. Following Lorenz’s death, Polsky couldn’t shake a deep regret that, despite his training, he’d been unable to help save his friend’s life.
SOURCE: Neil Kane, Forbes.com