Cardiologist saves two runners’ lives during California’s Monterey Half Marathon

Monterey, Cali.-based runner and cardiologist Steven Lome says he “never anticipated his professional skills to be needed in this manner outside of work.” On Nov. 13, while running the Monterey Half Marathon with his teenage children, Lome, who took to social media to share his saga, says he encountered a runner needing chest compressions.

“At mile three, right in front of me, a runner went down. Cardiac arrest. Started CPR, and people called 911. Defibrillator arrived in about six minutes and rhythm was ventricular fibrillation (fatal arrhythmia),” Lome says. “One shock and normal heart rhythm restored.”

Lome helped get the male runner into an ambulance with paramedics, and noted the runner was awake, alert and stable before he was taken to the hospital. Monterey Half Marathon race director John Ellison told the Monterey Herald that after the first incident, he thought: “that was our once-in-a-decade event at the half marathon.” A second incident, however, occurred at the end of the race, one that also surprised Lome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“Somewhat frazzled, I kept running to finish the race. 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,” shared Lome. “Within one to two minutes, a race volunteer brought an AED (defibrillator). Placed the pads on his chest.”

Lome says the runner was shocked once with the defibrillator, and Lome restarted chest compressions. “He [the runner] opens his eyes, says “why am I down here?” then proceeds to stop his watch and wants to get up.” This runner was also sent to the hospital.

Ellison shared that both men were middle-aged, experienced runners who felt prepared for the race. On Twitter, cardiologist Lome shared his take: “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 and both make a full recovery (normally only 5 per cent survive out-of-hospital cardiac arrest)?”

Post-event, Ellison, as well as Big Sur Marathon Foundation executive director Josh Priester, visited the two men at the hospital and found the runners doing well. Both were surprised at what had happened, but grateful to those who had helped save their lives.

While Lome shared appreciation for the medical volunteers at the event who were able to bring the life-saving AED as quickly as possible, Ellison felt the real heroes were the “other runners who gave the initial CPR. I think the moral of the story is that everyone ought to learn CPR and be prepared to use it–that’s the bridge to the defibrillator, and it worked in both of these cases.”

Lome says he still can’t believe what happened, and encourages others to learn from his experience. “Enjoy every day. Focus on your health,” he said. “This is why we need to focus on the prevention of heart disease since the first symptom of heart disease in one out of three people is sudden death, like these two individuals almost succumbed to.”

Lome’s suggestions from his professional career to stay heart healthy? “Eliminate processed foods, dramatically reduce or eliminate animal foods, focus on eating as much unprocessed plant-based foods as you can,” he says. “Diet is the most important part of heart health.”