Facebook post by Dr. Steve Lome

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Facebook post by Dr. Steve Lome

Postby landog » Sat Nov 19, 2022 10:34 am

Facebook post by Dr. Steve Lome 2022-11-19:

I ran a half marathon this past weekend. I feel quite honored to work as a cardiologist and use my training for the benefit of others, but I never expected those skills to be needed in this manner outside of work.
At mile 3 right in front of me a runner went down. Cardiac arrest. Started CPR…people called 911. Defibrillator arrived in about 6 minutes and rhythm was ventricular fibrillation (fatal arrhythmia). One shock and normal heart rhythm restored.
Got the patient into the ablulance with paramedics and he was awake/alert and stable off to the hospital. Somewhat frazzled I kept running to finish the race (no way I was going to catch my 16 yo daughter and 14 son at this point, they were ahead of me anyways)...

THEN…
I crossed the finish line and threw my arms in the air…and ANOTHER runner goes down right in front of me. Completely out. No pulse. Started CPR. Within 1-2 minutes a race volunteer brought an AED (defibrillator). Placed the pads on his chest. Shock advised indicating a fatal arrhythmia is again present. One shock and I restart chest compressions. He opens his eyes and says “Why am I down here?” then proceeds to stop his Strava on his watch and wants to get up. To the hospital he goes.
Both had undiagnosed heart disease, out of hospital cardiac arrest and made full recoveries.

What are the odds that two people have a cardiac arrest in one race?
What are the odds they both make a full recovery (normally only 5% survive out of hospital cardiac arrest)?
What are the odds that the same cardiologist happens to be right behind them both???

Kudos to the medical volunteers at the race and the Big Sur Marathon Foundation for their efforts organizing the event with ample medical volunteers that were well trained and ready to act. Being alert and ready to bring an AED as fast as possible saved two lives.

I still can’t believe this happened. Enjoy every day. Focus on your health. THIS is why we need to focus America on prevention of heart disease since the first symptom of heart disease in 1 out 3 people is sudden death like these two individuals almost succumbed to.

Eliminate processed foods. Dramatically reduce or eliminate animal foods, focus on eating as much unprocessed plant based foods as you can. Exercise is only 20% of heart health, diet is the most important part!
For those in healthcare, check out the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

To learn more about diet and heart health, watch The Game Changers on Netflix, Forks Over Knives and read the book How Not to Die by Dr Michael Greger.

When I give community presentations I always end with telling people that even if you are not in healthcare treating patients…YOU have the power to save lives by promoting a healthy lifestyle including eating a more whole food plant based diet.

Stay healthy and safe.
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Re: Facebook post by Dr. Steve Lome

Postby A Balloon A Balloon » Sat Nov 19, 2022 12:47 pm

Blimey, two right in front of you in one race, those really are long odds and must have been very shocking. So fortunate that you were there to help them - not exactly a nice day off for you!

I love running but one potential downside when people exercise more is that they think "I can basically eat what I want as long as I move enough, and am not visibly gaining weight". There's a big danger in that - shown by the two people you helped being previously undiagnosed. And still not enough focus on healthy diet from important organisations like the British Health Foundation here in the UK, a charity that provides a lot of information and support around heart disease. When diet is the focus, the information is often correct but vague, and not expressed with the urgency that (in my opinion) it should be.

The public are patronised, like they are kids who aren't able to hear tough truths, or make big changes. So much of the advice is couched on what is considered "realistic" to expect of people. "Try to reduce your consumption of...." etc.

I'd love to hear more about your community presentations at some point. I've just started as a Dietetics student.
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Re: Facebook post by Dr. Steve Lome

Postby DynoDan » Sat Nov 19, 2022 4:24 pm

Jim Fixx
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Re: Facebook post by Dr. Steve Lome

Postby QubitBob » Mon Nov 21, 2022 7:44 am

Dr. Lome,

Thank you so much for this impactful reminder that heart disease is still the # 1 killer of adult men and women in America and that the most important thing we can do to avoid it is to switch to a low-fat, whole-food, plant-based diet. I am so thankful that the organizers of the run were fully prepared to treat these emergencies and that those two individuals will live to see another day.
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Re: Facebook post by Dr. Steve Lome

Postby michaelswarm » Wed Nov 23, 2022 3:54 pm

Dr Steven Lome is wonderful compassionate human.

On both occasions, there was a defibrillator. On both occasions, there was a cardiologist. If Dr Lome was practicing in Uganda in 1950s, with Dr Denis Burkitt, he would have been unable to practice his specialty. There was almost zero heart disease in Uganda. There are tens of thousands of practicing cardiologists in the US. Unfortunately, this shows how much we have so normalized heart disease.

We know from autopsies of automobile accidents, and Korean and Vietnam war, and probably more recent wars too, that cardiovascular disease is already progressing in young healthy men and women. Almost everyone in that race probably had some amount of cardiovascular disease. Because almost everyone eats the American diet, and cardiovascular disease is one of the normal outcomes of eating the American Diet.

Thank you Dr McDougall and the rest of the WFPB doctors for educating about the real science.
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Re: Facebook post by Dr. Steve Lome

Postby barryoilbegone » Mon Nov 28, 2022 4:28 am

This story would get covered internationally in Runner's World magazine as well, link is here if anyone wishes a look:

https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a4203 ... %20Openers

What hit me in looking at this was the contrast between the original post from Dr Lome on Facebook, and the article - as it doesn't mention anything on Dr Lome's reference to plant based eating, but the author is meant to be a former food and nutrition editor for the magazine, and author of The Runner’s World Vegetarian Cookbook!

Is this just coincidence? Regulars here would probably raise an eyebrow - sad if Dr Lome's plant based comments got airbrushed out, at the request of editors concerned about impacting on the whey protein shakes, bars, "lean protein" like eggs and turkey statements that their articles sadly seem to still periodically put out (and advertising dollars I would guess for some firms waiting to advertise in their magazine for these). But not unpredictable.

It's a shame, because wonder if WFPB might have helped protect against the very cardiac arrests Dr Lome intervened in, which was kind of his point too.

WFPB article maybe direct to Runner's World maybe is in order! - let's see if it gets there...
"All people are made alike - of bones and flesh and dinner. Only the dinners are different.”

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