Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin has been hospitalized in critical condition after being treated on the field for cardiac arrest. The 24-year-old safety collapsed after a tackle during a Monday night game against the Bengals.
While the details of Hamlin's health aren't yet clear, the incident is part of a long history of athletes suffering cardiac events during competition in sports, such as football, soccer, and hockey.
Dozen of other such incidents have occurred in the past few decades, some of them fatal. While heart problems in elite athletes are rare, they can occur because of underlying conditions, including undiagnosed heart disease or genetic abnormalities, which are exacerbated by intense exercise and physical stress, according to research published in 2019.
Getting hit in the chest with enough force can also disrupt the heartbeat, a condition called commotio cordis, which is also rare but can be caused by an object like a hockey puck or baseball, or contact with another player.
While pro athletes are routinely screened for medical conditions, some risks are difficult to predict or prevent, resulting in shocking and occasionally deadly mid-game medical emergencies.