West woman ‘dead’ for 20 minutes

A 67-year-old woman from the west of Pretoria is recovering at home after she was clinically dead for about 20 minutes before she was resuscitated.

Marianne Mostert’s heart stopped following a heart attack on 26 July at her Mountain View residence, according to her daughter-in-law Adel.

“Her heart had stopped and she was basically dead,” said Adel.

Xander Loubser, of Best Care ambulance services, said they were on the scene.

The paramedic service celebrated their 19th birthday this month.

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“We got the emergency call-out at around 18:00 in the evening,” he said.

“The patient was clinically dead and lying in the sitting room when we arrived.”

Loubser said the family had put her on an oxygen mask and began chest compressions before the paramedics’ arrival.

“We immediately began with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) before we shocked her heart.”

“The device can deliver effective chest compressions in line with recommendations by the American heart association.”

He said they could, however, save Marianne’s life thanks to an automated CPR device.

“It is much more effective than what a normal paramedic could manage.”

Loubser said they also applied other emergency measures including an adrenaline shot.

Marianne could only be resuscitated after 20 minutes of non-stop CPR.

After she was resuscitated, she was taken to Zuid Afrikaans hospital by ambulance.

“During treatment in the emergency ward, her heart stopped again and she had to be coupled to the device again.”

Marianne was in hospital for almost two weeks before she was discharged on 8 August.

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Adel told Rekord this week that her mother-in-law was “doing well”.

“She is still weak, but the doctor has prescribed heart medication for her for the following two months or so. This will strengthen her heart.”

“The doctor would then decide whether she needs a pacemaker or not.”

Loubser said all the medical personnel whom helped save her life visited her at home last week Friday.

He said only about 8% of persons whose hearts stopped were successfully resuscitated.

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