Swift response by ambulance crew saves 20-year-old after cardiac episode (Update 1)

Prompt action by the Paphos ambulance service was praised by head of cardiology Dr. Joseph Moutiris after their swift response saved the life of a 20-year-old man having a cardiace episide early Saturday morning.

In a Facebook post, Moutiris said the patient was taken to Paphos general hospital after suffering a cardiopulmonary arrest.

Paramedics resuscitated him onboard the ambulance and he regained heart function after “persistent efforts” once at the hospital’s A&E.

The patient was then intubated and doctors ran an electrocardiogram (ECG), ultrasounds, and a chest MRI before he was transferred to Limassol general hospital for an emergency coronary angiogram.

Moutiris initially speculated the cause of the cardiac arrest could be anything from coronary heart disease to something Covid-related, or even myocarditis.

He later said the angiogram showed a complete obstruction of the two branches of the left coronary artery, which doctors are currently trying to open.

“I would like to stress the importance of the ambulance’s response speed ( it arrived within minutes of the call), the level of cardiopulmonary resuscitation training, the presence of modern equipment and the general readiness of a general hospital to respond to difficult incidents such as this one,” he finally said.