The Effing Orlando Sentinel...

[Mission9]

It is always funny when a newspaper like that gets caught with their pants down.

[Mama_Bull]

The comment's incorrectness is compounded by the fact that it makes grossly ignorant medical assumptions. Firstly, AED's are only useful in situtations in which an individual is experiencing ventricular fibrillation; there are MANY emergency heart conditions for which an AED is completely useless. Secondly, young athletes are far more likely to suffer from a largely asymptomatic condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), in which they experience abnormal thickening of the heart walls, leading to reduced blood output per contraction (cardiac output). An AED can not help anyone suffering from an acute problem related to HCM. The article as a whole is not a terrible one, but the inclusion of these athletes as examples of situations in which AED's might help was a very, very poor decision. Folks who tend to benefit the most from AED's are adults, older than 40, typically in the 6th decade of life or older. That's because they tend to have medical problems predisposing them to ventricular fibrillation, whereas it is relatively uncommon for young adults and children to have that type of emergency heart situation. I think the author was just trying to start the article with anecdotal points, and showed massive ignorance as a result.

Faza, thank you for enlightening all of us with regard to AEDs.  My belief has been pretty much in line with what you state that "young athletes are far more likely to suffer from asymptomatic conditions causing blockages".  I actually was thinking more on the lines of a congenital abnormality which would not necessarily be picked up during the normal course of a physical.

In any event, with regard to the Orlando Sentinel article.....I have nothing to say except that they are full of bullcrap!!!!!!

[crambone]

smazza, go away.

[FazaUSF]

Faza, thank you for enlightening all of us with regard to AEDs.  My belief has been pretty much in line with what you state that "young athletes are far more likely to suffer from asymptomatic conditions causing blockages".  I actually was thinking more on the lines of a congenital abnormality which would not necessarily be picked up during the normal course of a physical.

In any event, with regard to the Orlando Sentinel article.....I have nothing to say except that they are full of bullcrap!!!!!!

Actually, you're right too! HCM is along the lines of a congenital abnormality. I don't think it's understood why some athletes get it and most don't. However, I remember being taught that genetic/congenital causes are to blame. And you're also right that it is't likely to be picked up on a routine physical - you'd actually have to have an ultrasound or other imaging of the heart to pick it up, which most young people don't get exposed to. Ditto on the bullcrap!!

[Mama_Bull]

Faza, thank you for enlightening all of us with regard to AEDs.  My belief has been pretty much in line with what you state that "young athletes are far more likely to suffer from asymptomatic conditions causing blockages".  I actually was thinking more on the lines of a congenital abnormality which would not necessarily be picked up during the normal course of a physical.

In any event, with regard to the Orlando Sentinel article.....I have nothing to say except that they are full of bullcrap!!!!!!

Actually, you're right too! HCM is along the lines of a congenital abnormality. I don't think it's understood why some athletes get it and most don't. However, I remember being taught that genetic/congenital causes are to blame. And you're also right that it is't likely to be picked up on a routine physical - you'd actually have to have an ultrasound or other imaging of the heart to pick it up, which most young people don't get exposed to. Ditto on the bullcrap!!

I am wondering whether the athletics department is now considering having the players undergo yearly ultrasound or MRIs (although extremely expensive) when they undergo their annual physicals?  Maybe it is just paranoia on my part, but I don't think it would hurt to have them screened a bit closer.

[hightechbull]

I have only minimal knowledge of these AED's, but I do have a few comments for those morons at the Orlando Sentinel.

It is not a simple device like a flashlight.  You need training on these things to use them properly.  We have them at work, and only trained and authorized people are allowed to use them.  No one has suffered a heart attack at the keyboard as far as I know, but if I had an attack I would rather have someone who knew how to use the device operate it on me.  Incorrect usage could actually kill someone instead of saving them.

The bolded words in their comment  -

"The automated external defibrillator -- or AED, as it's often known -- might well have saved Cheyanne or Keely or Alexander, too, though no one can say with certainty."

- just shows that this was more of an op-ed piece than a factual piece of journalism.  Stick to the facts and stop interjecting your opinion.  Save that for the opinion pages.

This piece also shows the low level of English practiced at that newspaper

They cost roughly $1,500 to $2,000 apiece, and newer versions literally talk you through the procedure. Lopez-Anderson, whose group has donated the devices to local schools, says a fourth-grader can operate one.

"Literally talk you through the procedure"?  Oh, man, I was hoping that it would figuratively talk someone through the procedure.  Improper use  of the word literally.  The fourth-graders mentioned are the ones writing for this paper and even that grade level is in question.

[HaulingBull Sucks]

If the Orlando Sentinel is such a terrible newspaper why do you read it?

[Mission9]

hauling bull, always the ap

[___ Eats It]

If the Orlando Sentinel is such a terrible newspaper why do you read it?

I've been trying to ignore most everything you write, but since you asked...

I subscribe to Google News and have searches set up for "University of South Florida" and "USF".  This particular article happened to be in the Orlando Sentinel, and happened to be delivered to my inbox yesterday.

Had it been written another paper (say, the Emory Wheel for example), I would have drafted a much milder letter correcting them.

[twillybull]

I declare Jihad on the Sentinel.   ;D