Christian Eriksen, a Danish midfielder, passed out on the field during Sunday's friendly between Denmark and Ukraine. In the 64th minute of the game, Eriksen went down on the field while clutching his chest.
Eriksen is now conscious and doing better after receiving treatment, according to reports.
The incident has, however, renewed interest in the midfielder's medical history and the heart condition that nearly claimed his life during the UEFA European Championship in 2021.
The then-29-year-old midfielder suddenly fell to the ground near the touchline shortly before halftime. Medical personnel rushed onto the pitch, performed CPR and used a defibrillator before transporting him to a hospital in Copenhagen.
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What heart condition does Christian Erikse have?
The UEFA later confirmed that Eriksen had suffered a cardiac arrest and was stabilized following emergency treatment. In addition to receiving CPR, an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) was utilized to restart his heart's ability to pump blood.
{{/usCountry}}The UEFA later confirmed that Eriksen had suffered a cardiac arrest and was stabilized following emergency treatment. In addition to receiving CPR, an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) was utilized to restart his heart's ability to pump blood.
{{/usCountry}}“I was gone from this world for five minutes,” Eriksen had said at the time in an interview with the BBC News.
A cardiac arrest, which happens when blood stops pumping throughout the body as it should, differs slightly from a heart attack. This can occur for a variety of causes, such as malfunctioning electrical impulses that control heartbeats or inflammation or injury to the heart's walls.
The underlying cause in young people can be passed down through the family in some other way, such as following an allergic reaction to a medicine or an illness.
Doctors never publicly disclosed a specific underlying diagnosis that caused Eriksen's cardiac arrest. However, in a later treatment plan, doctors determined that he required an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, commonly known as an ICD.
What is an ICD?
According to the Danish Football Association, Eriksen accepted recommendations from cardiac specialists to have an ICD implanted after extensive examinations.
ICD is a device that is almost half the size of a cell phone and has thin cables that connect to the region surrounding his heart. The device is implanted under the skin, usually near the collarbone, with wires connected to the heart to monitor electrical activity around the clock.
The ICD continuously monitors heart rhythms and can deliver an electrical shock if it detects a potentially life-threatening abnormal heartbeat.
How did the ICD change Eriksen's football career?
The implantation of the ICD had immediate consequences for Eriksen's professional future.
Italian sporting regulations do not permit athletes to compete professionally with an ICD, forcing him to terminate his contract with Inter Milan despite having helped the club win the Serie A title months earlier.
After months of rehabilitation and medical evaluation, Eriksen returned to football with Premier League side Brentford in January 2022.