Chitchat Yandao Fit Doctor saves gymmer at Virgin Active

[Pinkieslut]

'No breathing, no pulse': S'porean doctor, 29, responds to collapsed Virgin Active gymgoer, helps restore heartbeat before ambulance arrives​

Happy ending.​

While at a Hyrox training class at Virgin Active Marina One, a Singaporean medical doctor heard an alarm go off.

Tan Tuan Hao, 29, had been at the gym after ending his shift at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH).

It was 30 minutes into the session, and he initially didn't recognise the alarm over the blaring music.

But when he looked back, there was a man lying unconscious on the floor.

Kicked into gear​

It was Tan's first time coming across a medical emergency in a public space.

But his instincts kicked in. "It [was like] part of our daily work," he told Mothership.

Before anybody even called for help, he quickly went over to assess the unconscious man.

But he was in a "life-threatening state of collapse", Tan said.

"He was unresponsive. No breathing, no pulse."

Immediately, Tan began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the man.

The gym staff also eventually recovered from their shock. They brought over the Automated External Defibrillator (AED), helped to cut the man's shirt open, and called an ambulance.

Working as a team​

But Tan quickly realised that he was in no condition to continue prolonged CPR.

Physically exhausted from the exercise class, he asked if anyone could take over while he administered the AED.

Initially, no one responded — something which he also attributes to the shock of the moment.

But eventually, another gym member stepped forward: a National Service (NS) medic, who agreed to do CPR while Tan prepared the AED.

The AED advised administering a shock, and Tan did so.

Fortunately, the man regained consciousness shortly after.

Good outcome​

Initially, the man was agitated, and even ripped out his AED pads.

But he eventually calmed down enough to relay his medical history to Tan, and Tan explained what was going on.

By the time the ambulance had arrived, he was fully conscious and speaking.

Tan attributes the successful outcome to the speed of their collective response.

Between the alarm sounding and the start of the CPR, he estimates that less than a minute had passed.

"He likely had a pulseless ventricular tachycardia, which is a very dangerous state. It means that even within minutes, he could die from it," Tan explained.

"Usually [after] a patient collapses, within four to six minutes his brain cells can start dying.

But we resuscitated him within a short span of time, which is quite a good thing... I think he had a very, very good outcome."

Happy coincidence​

Tan, who works at the general surgery division of KTPH, also believes it was a happy coincidence that he was present.

He also considers it good fortune that it happened where it did, when it did.

"I'm glad it happened somewhere where there's a team to support," he said.

"My friend's dad recently passed away after running on the treadmill. He just collapsed.

I just wondered, if someone was there to do CPR... it might be, I don't know."

While the patient hasn't contacted him directly, he's heard that he's doing well.

But where he previously went to the Marina One outlet to enjoy the anonymity of being amidst the office-worker crowd, the gym staff now all address him as "doctor".

"Maybe I'll have to go to another outlet," he joked.

Virgin Active's reply​

In response to Mothership's queries, a Virgin Active spokesperson confirmed that a medical emergency had occurred at the outlet on May 14.

"Our team responded immediately and in line with established emergency response procedures.

Each of our clubs has safety measures in place with trained and certified team members, emergency response equipment and clear escalation procedures."

The spokesperson also thanked gym members who assisted during the incident.

They are continuing to support the affected member, and remain committed to members' safety and wellbeing, they said.

 

[Timerty]

CPR will turn men into gays better don't kiss