Five years after a harrowing on-pitch collapse that brought the football world to a standstill, 34-year-old Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen suffered another cardiac event this past Sunday during an international clash between Denmark and Ukraine.
But this time, the scene was vastly different. There was no frantic CPR on the turf. There was no waiting for medics to rush a portable defibrillator onto the field. Instead, Eriksen regained consciousness almost immediately and was able to walk off the pitch under his own power.
The hero? A tiny, battery-powered device implanted in his chest.
Taking to social media to reassure fans, Eriksen posted: “My ICD did exactly what it was designed to do: protect me when I needed it.”
Inside the “Shock Box”
The device Eriksen relies on is called an ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator). It is not a cure for heart disease, but rather a highly sophisticated, life-saving treatment that acts as a permanent, internal safety net.
An ICD constantly monitors the heart’s rhythm. If it detects a dangerously fast or irregular heartbeat, it immediately intervenes to restore a normal pattern.
There are two primary types of ICDs used today:
- Traditional/Transvenous ICD: Connected directly to the heart via wires fed through a vein. Like a standard pacemaker, it can also send regular, low-energy electrical signals if the heart beats too slowly.
- Subcutaneous ICD (S-ICD): Fitted just under the skin, usually near the armpit, with a wire running beneath the skin across the chest. It acts as a miniature defibrillator without directly touching the heart muscle.
When Eriksen’s heart entered a life-threatening rhythm on Sunday, the device instantly delivered a targeted electrical shock to jump-start his heart.
“It feels like being thumped in the chest,” explains Prof. Aneil Malhotra, a sports cardiologist at the Institute of Sport, Manchester Metropolitan University. He likens the process of resetting the heart to “switching a computer off and on again,” noting that because the device was already inside Eriksen’s body, “he didn’t have to wait” for medical staff to save his life.
Prof. Michael Papadakis, a cardiology expert at St George’s, University of London, aptly refers to the device as a “shock box.”
Cardiac Arrest vs. Heart Attack: What’s the Difference?
While often used interchangeably, a cardiac arrest and a heart attack are fundamentally different medical emergencies.
- Heart Attack (A “Plumbing” Problem): Occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is blocked (usually by a clot), causing tissue to die.
- Cardiac Arrest (An “Electrical” Problem): Occurs when the heart’s electrical system malfunctions, causing it to suddenly stop beating and pumping blood. This is what Eriksen experienced.
In young, extremely fit individuals, sudden cardiac arrests are usually caused by underlying genetic conditions, or acquired issues like heart wall inflammation following a viral infection or an allergic reaction.
A Sobering Reality in Professional Sport
While rare, heart conditions affecting elite athletes are not unheard of, and the footballing world has a tragic history with the condition.
Eriksen’s initial collapse in 2021 came nine years after Fabrice Muamba’s near-fatal incident playing for Bolton against Tottenham, and 19 years after the tragic death of Marc-Vivien Foé on the pitch in Lyon. More recently, in 2023, Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer collapsed during a Premier League match. Lockyer, notably, was able to return to football with Bristol Rovers two years later.
Other elite players, like former Manchester United and Ajax defender Daley Blind, have successfully continued their careers for years with an ICD implanted.
The Hidden Danger
Outside the highly monitored world of professional sports, sudden cardiac arrests claim the lives of 12 people under the age of 35 every week in the UK, according to the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY).
The most alarming statistic? In 80% of these cases, there are absolutely no signs or symptoms before the collapse.
“This second, sudden collapse of Eriksen is a reminder of the potentially devastating impact that cardiac conditions can have on so many young people,” says CRY chief executive Dr. Steve Cox.
The Push for Prevention
Today, major strides are being made in screening and prevention. In the UK, every player across the 92 Premier League and Football League clubs is now mandatorily screened when they sign their first professional contract, and again at ages 18 and 20.
These screenings include:
- Electrocardiogram (ECG): To map the heart’s rhythm and electrical activity.
- Ultrasound (Echocardiogram): To examine the physical structure of the heart for physical defects.
According to Prof. Malhotra’s research, roughly 1 in 250 young footballers has a heart condition that requires ongoing monitoring. Furthermore, data indicates that Black athletes experience a higher incidence of cardiac death than white athletes, a disparity researchers are actively working to understand.
Eriksen’s successful recovery this week is a testament to modern medical engineering. It proves that while we cannot always predict a cardiac emergency, we are getting incredibly good at ensuring it isn’t the final whistle.
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