Bronny James' Condition Stable After Cardiac Arrest

LeBron James' 18-year-old son is expected to undergo further testing to determine what caused his cardiac arrest during practice earlier this week.

On Monday, July 24, incoming USC freshman Bronny James, son of Lakers star LeBron James, lost consciousness due to cardiac arrest during basketball practice and was taken by ambulance at "Code 3, lights and sirens" to Cedar-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Sports Illustrated reports that on Tuesday, a family spokesperson said James was out of ICU and in stable condition. However, the cause of his cardiac arrest has yet to be determined by additional testing.

Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart unexpectedly stops beating and blood stops flowing throughout the body. It is a medical emergency, and nine out of 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside the hospital setting die within a few minutes.

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Symptoms of cardiac arrest include sudden collapse, unconsciousness, absent or labored breathing, and no pulse.

Caroline Ball, M.D., FACC, Assistant Professor of Cardiology at Loyola Medicine, tells Healthnews, "It's impossible to speculate why Bronny James experienced a cardiac arrest, and the talented medical staff caring for him will likely run tests over the next several days to gain better understanding of the cause […]."

Ball adds, "It can be due to a variety of causes, including blockage in the arteries around the heart, electrolyte abnormalities, structural problems with the heart muscle, problems with the heart's electrical system, or underlying genetic conditions."

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says that the primary cause of cardiac arrest is ventricular fibrillation or tachycardia — which are heart rhythm disturbances. Other risk factors for the condition are previous incidences of cardiac arrest, coronary artery disease, or heart valve conditions.

However, around 50% of people who have experienced cardiac arrest didn't realize they had problems with their heart.

"Fortunately, prompt recognition and treatment of cardiac arrest increases the likelihood of a good outcome, particularly with bystander use of automated external defibrillators (also called AEDs) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (commonly referred to as CPR)," Ball explains.

In addition, the NIH stresses that because help must arrive quickly, people who suspect someone is experiencing cardiac arrest should call 911 before administering CPR or an AED.

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