Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, 24, is in critical condition in the hospital after suffering cardiac arrest during the Monday night football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to CNN. Hamlin’s heartbeat was restored after he collapsed on the field, and he was taken to UC Medical Center in Cincinnati. After the scary and emotional scene on the field, the NFL postponed the game, saying details on the next steps would come at an “appropriate time.”

Cardiac arrest results from electrical disturbances that cause the heart to suddenly stop beating properly. In cardiac arrest, death can result quickly if steps aren’t taken immediately. “Cardiac arrest may be reversed if CPR is performed and a defibrillator shocks the heart and restores a normal heart rhythm within a few minutes,” says the American Heart Association. More than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside a hospital in the U.S. each year, says the AHA. Cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack, which is more of a circulation issue, but almost any known heart condition, including heart attack, can cause cardiac arrest, says CNN.

Dr. Kevin Campbell, a noted expert on cardiovascular disease with Health First Medical Group, tells Newsmax that Hamlin most likely suffered from commotio cordis.

“This is a condition that we typically see in young male athletes who play baseball, hockey or lacrosse and are apt to be struck by a ball or puck. When one receives direct blunt force trauma to the chest —such as we saw with Hamlin taking a hit to the chest, it can precipitate a dangerous life-threating heart rhythm called ventricular fibrillation.

“Prompt CPR and defibrillation with an AED (automatic external defibrillator) as we saw last night is the only hope of survival,” said Campbell. “I have no direct knowledge of the case, so I am speculating. Other causes of sudden cardiac death in an athlete would include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and other forms of congenital or genetic heart problems such as long QT syndrome. However, based on the way this occurred I would lean toward commotio cordis in this case.”

Campbell warns that everyone should be trained in CPR and the use of an AED. All athletic events should have trained personnel present and an AED readily available.

“This saves lives,” he said.

• Buffalo Bills Safety Hamlin in Critical Condition After Cardiac Arrest, Game Postponed