The myth of swallowing your tongue: Experts warn of the danger of delaying CPR

The myth of swallowing your tongue: Experts warn of the danger of delaying CPR

It was during a Sevilla-Getafe match in Spain in August 2007. Around the 30th minute, 22-year-oldsoccer playerAntonio Puerta collapsed on the pitch, just a few meters from the goalposts. Millions of viewers witnessed the scene live, either from the stadium or on their television screens. There were endless seconds of confusion, and the immediate response of his teammates, who rushed to his aid, opening his mouth and inserting their fingers, intending, it was later explained, to “keep him from swallowing his tongue.” Puerta regained consciousness a few seconds later and left the field on his own two feet, but suffered cardiac arrest in the locker room and died three days later from the after-effects of heart failure.

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