Sunday, June 20, 2010

Spot the contradiction - Kirchen has "heart attack", put in coma but "infarction ruled out". Huh?

There's clearly something seriously wrong with Kim Kirchen, bad enough to be put into an induced coma. But the reports leaking out are careless and contradictory. That's the nature of news - reactive and uninformed speculation first, then (with any luck) a careful reappraisal and statement of the facts. Hopefully this is a recoverable situation for Kim Kirchen.

More strangely, there is a report that Kirchen had "experienced similar problems in the spring". Surely not too similar, or he'd have been advised to rest at the very least. More to come out here I'm sure.

Cyclist Kirchen in coma after heart attack - UPI.com
LIESTAL, Switzerland, June 19 (UPI) -- Cyclist Kim Kirchen of Luxembourg was in a medically induced coma Saturday, hours after suffering a heart attack while riding in the Tour of Switzerland.

Kirchen was stricken Friday night, hospitalized at Zurich University Clinic and put into a coma, where he will remain for 24 hours while being evaluated, Team Katusha said in a statement.

An infarction and thrombosis have been ruled out in preliminary tests, the statement said.
Cyclist kept in a coma after heart attack - Cycling - Yahoo! Sports
“We were all together when it happened yesterday evening at the hotel,” Katusha sports director Serge Parsani said. “He felt really bad and we immediately sent him to the hospital.”

Parsani said Kirchen experienced similar problems in the spring.