Double whammy of medical emergencies for British resident in Dubai

Dubai: A British resident has experienced a heart attack, three-hour resuscitation with electric shocks and adrenaline injections, and kidney failure in a span of 36 hours.

The double whammy of medical emergencies, despite no related medical history, shocked Edward Buckley, 38, who survived the near fatal outcome.

Speaking to Gulf News, Buckley said: “I am very lucky to be alive. All I remember was being home around 9 in the morning, experiencing severe chest pain and taking a cab to the nearest hospital.”

Buckley, whose background was in engineering, was setting up a new F&B (food and beverage) business.

“A heart attack — it hit me out of the blue. There were no warning signs. It was the scariest experience of my life,” he said.

Before being referred to the hospital, the medical staff at the first private facility performed CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) on Buckley for three hours. He was also administered multiple electrical shocks and 28 ampoules of adrenaline. Once stable, he was transferred.

Commenting on Buckley’s case, Dr Asad Al Sabbah, Specialist Intensivist from the hospital, and one of the doctors who treated him, said that an angiogram (test to view the body’s blood vessels) was carried out, which revealed that the patient had a 100 per cent block in a major heart vessel. An urgent angioplasty (procedure to open narrow or blocked coronary arteries] was carried out.

“He was transferred to the ICU where he was on high ventilator support. During this time, he developed acute kidney failure; he was on dialysis treatment. He also suffered a pulmonary oedema [excess collection of watery fluid in the lungs], for which he was treated,” said Dr Al Sabbah.

Buckley will continue his treatment at the hospital. His prognosis is full recovery, said the the doctor, who advised residents to take symptoms like pain in the chest, upper abdomen, back of the chest and lower jaw seriously as these might be related to the heart.

Buckley said, “I have made a few changes in terms of diet and now engage in low intensity exercise. I plan to return to the UK and take up an easier lifestyle.”