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Man's rapid heartbeat settles when ambulance hits a pothole

Everyone can be thankful for this pothole, in this case.
Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Large pothole in the road, stock image.

GRETNA, Neb. — Potholes: The bane of every driver's existence. For one man, though, one giant hole at the right place and time might have saved his life.

The Omaha World-Herald reports a 59-year-old man suffering from chest pain was on his way to the hospital when the ambulance driver hit a pothole.

The sudden jolt hit the patient, already experiencing an "abnormally high" heart rate, and returned his heart rate to normal, Gretna Fire Chief Rod Buethe told the newspaper.

CHI Health emergency physician Dr. Peter Daher told the World-Herald that yes, the medical miracle is possible, but isn't really a common technique of helping the heart. 

"That’s a new one for the books, I guess," he said.

The doctor told the paper the man could have been experiencing supraventricular tachycardia, which is a rapid heart rate caused by a faulty electrical system in the heart. A jolt of some sort might help in certain instances.

Still, patients should always seek medical attention when it comes to heart-related issues.

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