Stadium Coronary Care

Abstract

An emergency "life support station" was established at the Atlanta Stadium as part of a research program to elucidate the mechanism or precipitating events, or both, for the onset of myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death, and to suggest appropriate therapeutic intervention. An emergency unit was also operated at Grant Field, the Georgia Tech football stadium. Anecdotal information in recent years had suggested that at least one acute event occurred at most stadium events with an attendance of more than 30,000 to 40,000 persons. However, Atlanta Stadium first aid station records for the years 1966 to 1969 showed only 20 reported episodes of apparent myocardial infarction, with or without sudden cardiac death. The research effort was thus designed to ascertain the incidence of apparent sudden cardiac death, to better define the clinical presentation and associated events, and to evaluate the feasibility of therapeutic intervention utilizing a well-staffed and well-equipped emergency