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Modern AEDs Require Little Training

Thursday, May 26th, 2011

Defibrillation is the process of delivering electrical currents to the heart of a person with a life threatening cardiac emergency, such as cardiac arrhythmias, ventricular fibrillation, and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. Every minute without defibrillation decreases the victim’s chance for survival by 10 percent. The Automated Electronic Defibrillator or AED automatically diagnoses a life threatening cardiac emergency, and delivers electrical currents to the victim as needed.

AEDs are extremely easy for most people to use. When the machine is turned on, it will instruct the user on what to do. No one should be touching the patient during the defibrillation process, as this could cause a false reading. If a shock is warranted, the battery will charge in preparation to deliver a shock. The AED guides the user through each step of this process. Depending on the model, the AED may instruct the user to give CPR as needed.

AEDs require minimal training to use, automatically analyzing the cardiac victim’s heart rhythm and determining whether a shock is required. The AED will administer a shock without the user’s command. In most circumstances, the user cannot override an AED’s “no shock” advisory.

All AEDs approved in the United States now come with an electric voice prompt to guide users through each step. Some users may be hearing impaired, so there are AED models that have visual prompts as well. Most of these units have been designed by non-medical operators.

In CPR training through The Red Cross, there is now a section focusing on the use of AEDs. The whole section takes no more than 10 minutes to review, but gives the trainees confidence in knowing that if they needed to use an AED in public, it would not be a complicated procedure. This ensures the survival of many people out in the community. In fact, AEDs are giving rise to the idea of PADs (public access device), which experts are agreeing has the potential to be the single greatest advancement in the treatment of out-of-hospital cardiac emergencies since CPR.

The first commercially available AEDs gave a high energy shock of 360-400 joules, depending on the model. This increased cardiac injury and sometimes caused third degree burns to the cardiac victim. Today, AEDs give two lower energy shocks off 120-200 joules, with each shock moving in opposite polarities between pads. This has proven more effective, and reduces the risk of cardiac injury, as well as reducing patient recovery time.

The fact that the general public does not have to determine the electrical energy output, or determine the steps to take in using an AED, makes public confidence rise. The likelihood of a person in the public using an AED to help a victim of a cardiac emergency is much more plausible. This, in turn will save many lives.

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Why Cardiac Arrest Survival Odds are Better in Public Places

Tuesday, May 24th, 2011

Cardiac arrest is when the heart ceases to function. A heart attack, which is the blockage of a vessel supplying a heart muscle, can cause the heart to stop. But nearly 80% of cardiac arrests are not caused by a heart attack. Instead, they are what EMT’s call “shockable arrests.” That is when the heart’s electrical signals have gone haywire, but can be reset by the delivery of a powerful electric shock. Most people die within minutes from cardiac arrest; the survival rate is an abysmal eight percent. But an individual’s chance to recover is significantly higher if the arrest occurs in public. That’s because people trained in CPR, meaning cardiopulmonary resuscitation, are more likely to be around. Better yet the little machine designed to provide that critical electric shock could be nearby, too. Minutes and even seconds are critical in rescuing somebody from cardiac arrest.

“Shockable Arrests”

Electrical signals from the brain tell the heart when to beat. Similar to the action of a timing belt, these signals control which parts of the heart does its job and when. For a variety of reasons, the heart goes into what’s called ventricular tachycardia or VT. This is when the heart goes into hyper-drive, beating from 120 to over 200 times a minute. A normal heart rate at rest is 60 to 80 beats per minute. The lower heart chambers, or ventricles, begin to beat blood out faster than they can fill. If VT continues, the heart can then advance to deadly VF, or ventricle fibrillation. VF is when the ventricles can only twitch uselessly, stopping the blood flow to the brain. This is the point of no return. Unless electric shock is applied within less than five minutes, asystole, better known as flat line, follows. Usually after then even electric shock has no effect because the heart has died. If cardiac arrest happens at home, chances are slim that machine and those trained people are available.

Automated External Defibrillator

That little machine is a godsend to people who have gone into VF. Designed to be used by anybody able to follow a few brief directions, the automated external defibrillator, or AED, delivers that critical shock to restore normal rhythm. Leads are simply and easily attached to the chest. They then inform the machine if indeed the heart has arrested and it it’s because of VF. If it determines the need for shock it can be delivered immediately. The shock actually stops the heart completely. It then rests momentarily before it hopefully resumes beating at a more normal rhythm. The AED can confirm this.

These life-saving machines are found in more and more locations every day. They’re in many places; airports, office buildings, restaurants, courthouses, schools and even bars are stocking them. There’s good reason for this. More than a third of people who suffer cardiac arrest in public and treated with an AED survived. That’s much better odds than the national average of only eight percent.

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Posted in Cardiac Arrest, CPR, Defibrillator News, Defibrillator Training, Defibrillators, Heart Disease, Survival Stories

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Defibrillators in Public Places Increase Survival Rates

Thursday, May 19th, 2011

Many years ago, if a person had a heart attack and was in a public place, the results could be devastating if emergency medical treatment was not provided in time. Whether the person would make it or not was simply a coin toss up, depending on how severe the heart attack was.

Luckily, many public places now have portable defibrillators available in case of a medical emergency. This has drastically decreased the number of deaths that occur in public places. Malls, community centers, airports, and other large places where large numbers of people pass through are now making defibrillators available for public use. Finding a defibrillator in a public place is now as common as finding a fire extinguisher.

Automatic External Defibrillators have long been used by medical professionals to shock a person’s heart and re-set the heart rhythm back to a normal rate. Commonly referred to as AEDs, defibrillators are portable devices that deliver a shock to the heart, and are made to recognize abnormal heart rhythms.

Receiving training and certification to use a defibrillator is easy to obtain, and the American Heart Association offers training along with CPR certification. Using a defibrillator is actually easier than performing CPR, so medical experts as well as the American Heart Association actually recommend that people use a defibrillator before trying CPR. Performing CPR can immediately help regain a normal blood pressure and flow, but it’s even more important to restore a normal heart rate through the use of a defibrillator. Since these are so easy to use, it is extremely wise for public places to carry a defibrillator. Not only are they simple to use and lightweight, they also have extremely high success rates.

Now commonly found in public places, the average person can now save a life in places like schools, malls, and airports. Almost anyone can operate a defibrillator, as all it requires is that you turn it on by moving the lid, and then follow the voice instructions that come directly from the defibrillator. Each step is instructed by the defibrillator, telling the person what to do, including when it is time to stop and start CPR. In the event of a medical emergency, one should always call 9-1-1, but using a defibrillator can help save a life while waiting on medical responders to arrive.

The American Heart Association states that 294,851 of 9-1-1 calls are made each year for cardiac arrest. If more people know how to use a defibrillator, they could be saving a life. A person who is experiencing some sort of heart failure has a better chance of surviving when they are revived within the first four minutes, meaning that having access to a defibrillator in a public place increases the chance of survival more than anything else that could be done.

Although medical responders try to reach medical emergencies quickly, public places that carry portable defibrillators are helping to insure that a life has a better chance of being saved.

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The Importance of Portable Defibrillators

Thursday, May 5th, 2011

Just about anyone who has a television knows what a defibrillator is. We’ve seen them used many times on medical drama shows to deliver a shock to the heart, reestablishing the heart’s rhythm. For a real victim of cardiac arrest, a defibrillator is a very important piece of equipment, one that has saved countless lives. The downside to traditional defibrillators is that only trained medical professionals can use them in a hospital setting. They are too large and cumbersome to take into ambulances or to use in the home. A person having heart problems like a heart attack or cardiac arrest may not have time to get to the hospital or to call emergency technicians. Portable defibrillators help deliver defibrillation outside of the hospital.

Portable defibrillators are now being used by ordinary people to save lives before medical responders can reach the scene. Many people who suffer from heart problems are buying portable defibrillators and are learning how to use them in case of emergencies. Some schools and businesses are purchasing them so they can treat patients while waiting for help to arrive. They are smaller than the defibrillators used in hospitals and can be carried anywhere. While training is available through first aid or CPR classes, most portable defibrillators verbally tell the user what to do. They can also diagnose the patient’s condition to determine if defibrillation is necessary or not. These features make them easy to use by anyone, increasing a victim’s chances of survival.

Cardiac arrest can happen as a result of many health problems: Electrocution, heart disease, heart attack, choking or drowning are just some of the causes. Stories of children suffering from cardiac arrest during school sport events are beginning to surface more and more. Medical epidemics like obesity and diabetes lead to heart disease. With all of these health issues, chances are good that someone you know may go into cardiac arrest and will need defibrillation. Having a portable defibrillator could make the difference between life and death for your loved one.

When a person goes into cardiac arrest, he only has 4 to 6 minutes before irreversible damage or death occurs. Medical attention is necessary as soon as possible to give the victim a better chance at survival. Approximately 95 percent of people suffering from cardiac arrest die before arriving at the hospital. When defibrillation is provided within 5 to 7 minutes, survival rates can be as much as 30-45 percent. Having a portable defibrillator allows the victim to receive attention before this critical time limit passes. While it’s still crucial to call for medical help, using a portable defibrillator buys time for the victim until help arrives and further medical treatment can be determined.

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Simple Steps to Saving a Life with AED

Monday, April 25th, 2011

The steps to saving a life with an automated external defibrillator (AED) are safe and simple to follow. When a person is undergoing a cardiac arrest, the first five minutes are the most important because if nothing is done within this short period of time, the patient will succumb to death. The first step is to make sure that there are at least two people so that one will call 911 and the other will retrieve the AED. If there is only one person, the first step is to call for emergency response team, then fetch the AED and later check if the patient is breathing.

Performing CPR is simple when AED is readily available. A person needs to check if the patient is still breathing. Most cases, the patient will have difficulties while breathing and they will fall down. Positioning a person for CPR is very easy because you want to put the device on the patient’s chest. This means that the patient should be positioned to lie on her back. The head should be tilted back and chin rose to check for breathing. This check should not exceed 10 seconds because time is an important factor. If the patient on the floor is not breathing, two rescue breaths should be administered. Signs of blood circulation should be checked before attaching the AED. When there no signs, it means that the heart is slowly failing. The AED should be turned on and audio commands followed. The most amazing thing about this device is that it does not require very technical skills to operate it. The audio command does everything and the device first analyzes the heart for a slight pulse which can be shocked.

The device has two pads that should be attached on the patient’s chest. One pad is attached on the right chest upper side while the other one is attached on the lower left side. These pads need to be dry and this means water or sweat needs to be wiped off the patient’s chest before attaching the pads. The pads are labeled and this shows a person where they should be attached. There is a wire that goes to the AED from the two pads. These wires should be attached to the AED for the defibrillator to work.

One of the most important things to note when operating the AED is that nobody should touch the patient while the AED is on. This means that when the device starts to analyze for a pulse, other people near the patient should clear off because the AED will be incorrect and analyze others pulses. The ‘Analyze’ button is clearly labeled and this should be pressed for the AED to automatically start its analysis. The analysis will be complete after a short time and then the audio command will ask for a shock. The shock button should be pressed and then let the AED reanalyze again. This will help save a life and if the patient is not breathing, rescue breaths should be administered until the chest raises and then allow the AED to reanalyze. Once the patient is breathing easily, she should be placed in a resting position and wait for the emergency personnel.

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Manual vs. Automated AEDs

Wednesday, April 20th, 2011

What is an AED? It stands for Automatic External Defibrillator. Maybe you haven’t thought about using one lately, but knowing more about them may save someone’s life. Defibrillators are used to save lives of people that have had their heart stop or dangerous arrhythmias. You probably think of them being used only in a hospital or by EMTs, but many work places and homes are keeping them close by too.

There are two kinds of Defibrillators. The first is a manual defibrillator. The manual defibrillator is used together with an electrocardiogram device which doctors and technicians use to make a diagnosis. The diagnosis will determine the cardiac condition. These are the traditional “paddles” you see used in a lot of movies. The paddles are used by doctors and EMTs to shock the patient’s heart back to beating again. They’ve been used successfully for years. However, only a trained physician or technician can use them. You have to have training and experience to use manual defibrillators.

The second kind of defibrillator is the Automated External Defibrillator. This is a small electronic unit that is portable. It’s used when someone has had cardiac arrest has or is dangerously close to cardiac arrest occurring. The health professionals are using these more and more because they are so advanced. The difference between this device and the manual defibrillator is that the automated external defibrillator is meant for the ordinary person to use. Even though ordinary people can use them health professionals use them too. They offer the ability to monitor the patient’s conditions and because they are computerized data can be recorded and stored instantly. The professional can instantly see the rhythm of the patient’s heart during CPR as well. So CPR can be stopped when the AED lets the professional know automatically.

What happens when someone’s heart stops in a restaurant, mall or school? If an emergency medical team can’t get there fast enough what can be done? This is why Automated External Defibrillators have become so popular. Restaurants, malls, businesses and homes are investing in this modern device to save lives. Yes anyone can buy an Automated External Defibrillator but it’s important to know about Good Samaritan laws in your state. Each state has different views about helping someone that is injured. It’s a good idea to check your state and laws especially if you have a business. Although the Automated External Defibrillator is widely available, training is strongly advised.

Both the Manual and Automated External Defibrillator use electrical charges or current to stimulate muscular contraction of the heart. Both are used today by doctors and emergency technicians. There’s no doubt though that the Automated External Defibrillator has brought lifesaving hope to many people who otherwise may have died.

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Defibrillators: Learn How to Save a Heart

Thursday, April 14th, 2011

Recent statistics show that 95% of victims who suffer cardiac arrest die before they can be seen at a hospital. However, if the same victim is given CPR or receives the first shock from an automated external defibrillator (AED) within 3-5 minutes, the chances of survival increase significantly and can be as high as 74%.

Defibrillation is a process whereby an electric shock is delivered to the heart to help establish a normal rhythm. In the last few years, small automated external defibrillators have been developed so that the public has access to them if a cardiac event occurs nearby. AED’s are compact, battery operated, lightweight and sturdy.

Automatic external defibrillators are making their way into more public locations each year because of the benefits that they offer. AEDs are easy to use and, should someone desire to be trained, one can learn how to save a heart. AEDs are self-regulated, meaning that they make the decisions for you. They monitor and analyze the victim’s heart rate, and if the AED determines it is necessary to shock the victim, it will walk you through the process. The AED is equipped with a screen you can read, or in newer models, it offers a vocal feature that instructs you what to do and when to do it.

AEDs can now be found in locations such as airports, schools, convention halls, restaurants and sports venues. Some private individuals are purchasing them for home use as well. In order to make them easy to locate, the AED is normally brightly colored and mounted very near the entrance of a building. Once the AED is removed from its holder, and an alarm that alerts staff it has been removed and the possibility of a cardiac event exists. It does not alert emergency services, however, and the user of the AED or someone in the area will still need to alert 911 for emergency response.

When the AED unit is activated, it will then begin its instructions for the user. The first step is to connect the pads, or electrodes, to the victim. This allows the unit to monitor the victim’s heart rate to determine if shock is needed. Once the determination has been made to shock the victim, the unit will charge itself to prepare for the shock. When the unit is charged sufficiently, it will instruct the user to make sure that no one is touching the patient. After the victim is shocked, the unit will then reanalyze the heart rate and rhythm and will give further instructions based on that analysis.

Most states in the U.S. now include the use of AEDs in their “Good Faith” or “Good Samaritan” laws. This means that any person is allowed to use the AED to help someone with a heart attack or other cardiac emergency and they cannot be held civilly liable in the event of death or injury.

A defibrillator can save a heart when used during a cardiac emergency.

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Posted in Cardiac Arrest, CPR, Defibrillator Training, Defibrillators, Heart Disease

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Should we Include CPR and AED in Public Education?

Friday, April 8th, 2011

CPR means cardiopulmonary resuscitation and is a lifesaving procedure in emergencies. The procedure is performed on people who have stopped breathing or have no heartbeat like it is common in cases of drowning and electric shocking. This procedure involves the use of breathing techniques meant to provide the necessary oxygen to the patient suffering from the condition allowing proper circulation of blood thereby restoring proper heart neat and breathing.

Failure to offer the procedure when it is most needed could lead to brain damage that could be permanent or even worse; it can cause death since there is no blood flowing to the brain. This means that the procedure is very important in terms of saving lives. The procedures vary according to the size and age of the patient and there is therefore a need to have some kind of training on what’s best and in what situations.

AED on the hand stands for Automated External Defibrillator which is an electric device used to get rid of cardiac arrests. The device works by analyzing the heart situation and determining the kind of wattage in electric current needed by the patient to get the heart beating back to normal. The electric current administered by the device stops the heart and starts it assisting it in beating within the normal rates saving the lives of many people. External defibrillators do not need medical expertise to be used effectively in saving lives so long as there is the knowledge to start them and to place them correctly onto the chest area. They are especially of great importance where no medical facility is nearby and the life could be lost as medical help is called for.

CPR and AED training is important to the public as there is no telling when need might call. There is nothing worse than been caught up in a desperate situation with the right device at hand and then not knowing what to do to save the life of the person in danger. It might take much more than CPR to save the life of a person suffering from cardiac arrests and since AEDs are now available even in public places, there is a great need to train the public on the best procedures and the right precautions to take in such case.

The AED and CPR education should be taken with the same seriousness that first aid is given if at all a great majority of people are to know how to save lives when the situations strikes. Cardiac arrests can occur at any time and place and can attack any person making it very important to have the right knowledge on the use of the devices together with the right breathing techniques to administer to the person as the right person are waited for or as the patient is rushed to the hospital.

The training does not take a long time and the public should therefore undergo the basics of lifesaving using AEDs and CPR techniques. This could be very important in saving the lives of those who desperately need the procedures.

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What you Need to Know about AEDs

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

A defibrillator is a device that sends short electric shocks directly to the heart, enabling the heart to gain control and reset its pace to a normal rhythm. A defibrillator can be used externally or be implanted depending on what it is needed for. Generally, external defibrillators are most commonly used in health facilities, such as hospitals and ambulances.

AEDs regulate heart rhythms, and even those who have no medical training can easily use them, often without any training at all. They are in fact so easy to use that many states of the U.S. include a law under the Good Samaritan laws about “good faith” use of an AED by any person. One AED model, an “automatic operation” model, is extremely user friendly. To use this model, one simply opens the lid and follows the voice commands. Software in the AED will analyze the person’s heart rate and decide whether to employ a biphasic shock into the heart, which will attempt to restore the heart’s natural rhythm. There are many AED programs that offer free training and certification that complies with state laws and American Heart Association guidelines, providing a two year certification card upon completion of the course.

There are more advanced AEDs being made, such as manual and semi-automatic defibrillators. The more advanced AEDs are most often used by medical professionals. If a patient is experiencing bradycardia (when a heart rate is too slow), a manual or semi-automatic defibrillator can function like a pacemaker would.

AEDs are generally very lightweight and easy to carry, making them a good option for the elderly or those that are very ill.

Automated External Defibrillators, commonly known as AEDs, are now being used in places other than medical facilities because they’re becoming cheaper and safer for the general public to utilize. Some AED models can even be bought as cheaply as $1000. It’s now common to see an Automated External Defibrillator in large public places, like convention centers, health clubs, and airports, being available for people to use in the event of an emergency. Many schools, churches, businesses and offices even carry an AED in case someone goes into cardiac arrest. Some organizations and health professionals recommend that every household, car, and business has an AED available for medical emergencies. Many medical experts even now recommend that an AED be used before CPR in the event that someone’s heart stops beating or if a person experiences an abnormal heartbeat. Generally, using an AED is easier than properly performing CPR, and often using an AED has better results.

Keeping an AED in one’s home or business is a very wise idea, and doing so is becoming as common as having a fire extinguisher. AEDs have saved many lives, so investing in one is well worth it. Search online for an AED or talk to a medical professional to determine what kind of AED to purchase, taking who it may be used on in consideration, as it may save their life.

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Posted in Cardiac Arrest, Defibrillators, Heart Disease, Survival Stories

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Increasing the Number of Public Defibrillators

Sunday, March 27th, 2011

People have always been caught off guard when someone falls on the streets due to a heart attack. For many bystanders, the first response is panic and then other people act when they realize that a person will die in front of their eyes when they could have helped. CPR is always the first thing people do when someone they do not know has collapsed. This has helped a lot of people but it is in rare cases because not everyone walking down the street has the required skills to perform CPR. Other people fear that they might kill the patient faster than the heart attack due to lack of skills or they fear doing the mouth to mouth breathing procedure. Increasing the number of public defibrillators is an excellent idea because a heart attack does not give patients a warning. Cardiac arrests are random in occurrence; some occur due to shock, lack of medicine or the abnormal and uncontrolled heart attack.

When the number of public defibrillators is increased, every street, institution or playing field will have the defibrillators. This means that people who have random heart attacks will receive quick medical response because the public defibrillators will be near. The idea is to call for help when a person has collapsed due to cardiac arrest and administer CPR while waiting for the defibrillator to arrive. The device will take two to three minutes to arrive and this depends on the location of the heart attack. A person who falls on the streets will not wait for a long time for the device to be brought and the procedure started. The airport has its defibrillators always ready for emergency purposes. Most schools and playing fields also have such devices. This shows that the public has taken the initiative to save lives while waiting for emergency personnel to arrive. Using a defibrillator is simple and safe because it has an audio command that shows people what to do every single moment.

People have always feared carrying out CPR in public when they are not skilled. This fear has been eliminated by a device that can administer shocks with the click of a button. Emergency personnel will arrive later to take a patient who has experienced a heart attack but before this team arrives, the public has only five minutes to help stabilize the heart rhythms of a person who has collapsed and save a life. These defibrillators are stored in different street corners, train stations, airports and other places because nobody knows when these devices will be used. People who have survived a heart attack because a public defibrillator was used have no complications when they are taken to the hospital. CPR administered by people who are not experienced causes complications when a patient survives. The need for defibrillators in every location is very important because it will save the lives of very many people who need instant medical response. The good thing about an increased number of public defibrillators is that a person can get it while on foot, eliminating the feature of heavy traffic because the devices are within reach.

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Posted in Cardiac Arrest, Defibrillator News, Defibrillator Training, Defibrillators

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