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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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Posted in Defibrillator News, Defibrillator Training, Defibrillators

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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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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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Sudden Cardiac Arrest: What You Can Do to Help

Monday, May 2nd, 2011

Heart attacks or cardiac arrest are killers. These killers are often silent and appear with little to no warning. The heart muscle is a unique muscle of the body. The skeletal muscles need direct impulses from the nervous system in order to perform the required duty. The smooth muscles of the body, the ones responsible for breathing and digesting foods, also need impulses from the body. The heart does not need any outside source to tell it when and how to beat. This is the definition for automaticity. The heart has pacemaker cells which work in unison with each other to ensure the complete filling and expulsion of blood with each heartbeat. The heart will beat on its own over 40 million times a year. This is until something convinces the heart to stop working. Poor diet, genetics, cigarette smoking are just a few outside elements which can help to weaken the heart. Even the high energy drinks which make your heart race can cause the heart to enlarge just like a body builders muscles get bigger with each work out. This takes away from the needed elasticity of the heart muscle. When any portion of the heart is outside of normal conditions it threatens the life of the person it is in.

Contrary to television, a flat line, asystole, isn’t when you deliver an electrical shock. Ventricular Fibrillation, the most common rhythm of a cardiac insult, and Ventricular Tachycardia are the only two conditions the heart can tolerate and benefit from an external electrical push. Electricity is needed during these times to help “re-set’ the automatic conduction cells of the heart, preferably the Sino-Atrial Node. External defibrillators are the only device approved for this emergency.

Many different companies make various styles of these important machines. It does not matter the make or the model, all of them are equally important during a cardiac arrest. AED’s or defibrillators are fool proof. Turn them on and they will tell you what to do each step of the way. This is probably the most critical event to happen during an arrest, CPR is not as important as the delivery of the electricity, as long as the defibrillator tells you “shock advised”. Defibrillation’s the one event which may take a quivering heart out of one of the two fatal rhythms. CPR buys time for the defibrillator to arrive and to be attached to the victim.

In a simplistic explanation of what an AED or defibrillator will do is as follows:
After ensuring you are safe and the patient is not wet, turn the device on, some power up once the case has been opened. The defibrillator will tell you to attach pads, then to press analyze. Once a rhythm has been identified it will tell you “shock advised” or “continue CPR.” Make sure no one is touching the victim when you press “analyze” or “shock,” defibrillators will interpret the rhythm incorrectly and will deliver a shock to the person touching the victim.

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

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Cardiac Arrest: Three Steps to Recovery

Friday, April 29th, 2011

Cardiac arrest can be described as a sudden decrease or complete cessation of cardiac function. In other words, the heart stops beating or stops beating effectively and efficiently, and causes a decrease or complete loss of circulation, which then leads to decreased or arrested breathing. Cardiac arrest can, and often does lead to death because every minute that passes affects the eventual outcome for that person. However, there are several things a bystander can do, specifically three important steps that can be taken when someone has gone into cardiac arrest.

The first step is to begin administering CPR as quickly as possible. CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and it is the artificial breathing for another person while simultaneously performing chest compressions to pump the heart manually. To begin administering CPR, roll the person onto their back. Next raise the chin and be sure their airway is clear. If the airway is blocked use a finger to swipe any obstruction from the back of the throat and be sure to pull the tongue forward as to ensure it does not become an obstruction. Then begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation by manually blowing air into the affected person’s mouth and observing that the lungs inflate and the chest expands.

The second aspect to CPR is chest compression that is performed by placing two hands, one on top of the other, in the center of the person’s chest and pushing down swiftly and firmly for a succession of at least five compressions. This will manually force the heart to pump and therefore create an artificial form of circulation to ensure blood is flowing to the person’s lungs and brain. While someone is performing CPR it is best to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency response center, as well as obtain an automated external defibrillator, or AED. While CPR is helpful and useful, an AED has been proven capable of turning an irregular heartbeat into a normal beat.

The AED functions by delivering an electrical shock to the heart muscle. Recently AED machines have been manufactured in a compact version and can be found in most public settings. They are easy to use and all have instructions on how to properly administer treatment. An automated external defibrillator has computerized instructions that will give step by step instructions to the user once turned on, and also supplies diagrams to show exactly where to place the pads and if a shock is needed to restore normal heart function. The AED also does an automatic evaluation of the affected person’s heart rate in the form of an EKG, or an electrocardiogram. If a shock is needed to restore normal cardiac rhythm the machine will instruct the user on exactly what steps to take to administer a shock, and will then immediately continue with EKG tracking to determine the effectiveness of the shock. It is important to take these steps immediately when someone is in cardiac arrest as life or death outcomes can be determined within minutes of its onset.

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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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Are You Prepared to use an External Defibrillator?

Monday, April 4th, 2011

Fear and hesitation can happen when it is your first time. Now add to the equation a dying person. Stress is the only term for this situation. Individuals under extreme pressure have slowed thinking and reactions. An AED stands for Automated External Defibrillator. This sweet invention has changed the life of medicine and to individuals who have endured the ravages of a cardiac arrest. It is a voice of hope for you as you are trying to help stop a death.

So what is it?

An AED, or defibrillator, is a device which comes encased in a pretty rugged container. Some AED’s power-up once the case lid is raised, others do not work until the power button has been pressed. Immediately the AED does a self-check, then it is ready to talk to you. A voice, either man or woman in tone, will walk you through the next steps. Even if you have never used one before, the design is dummy proof. The end result is to analyze the heart and to see if an electrical current is appropriate for the victim’s heart or not.

When is it used?

Any time a person falls unconscious for any reason an AED should be attached to the victim. Pads are placed on the upper right near, but not on, the shoulder. The second pad is placed towards the left bottom of the rib cage. The pads have a picture on them, as a visual for you. During this time the AED will analyze the heart. It is checking for very specific cardiac impulses. It is vital to not touch or bump the victim at this time. CPR should not be performed during this, as well.

One of two messages will be delivered at this time. Either you will hear “shock advised” or you will hear “begin CPR”. If it has been identified that a shock would be beneficial to the victim, ABSOLUTELY make sure no one is touching the victim. Ensure everyone is clear of the victim’s arms and legs for they will jerk with the electricity. If anyone is touching the patient they will also receive some powerful electricity which may stop their heart.

I am confused!

CPR mandates once CPR has been initiated to not stop until someone shows up and can help with the compressions. Now the AED makes it so I don’t touch the victim. So which one is it? Do I do CPR or do I analyze. The answer is both. CPR is vital to the circulation of any oxygen in the body at the time of arrest. You have to help the tissue breath. The AED, once it arrives should trump CPR and be allowed to run its diagnostic tests on the person. CPR cannot happen during this time because it may give a false interpretation of the rhythm and ask for a shock when the heart should not have received it. This is horrible for the person you are trying to save.

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Preventing Heart Disease

Monday, March 28th, 2011

Heart disease prevention is one of the main primary concerns of people of all ages. The reason for the concern about heart disease is due to the fact that heart disease is increasingly affecting people of younger ages year after year. So taking precautions to prevent heart disease has become an imperative importance of to so many people in the world. In order to take these precautions, people must consider maintaining a healthy diet, balancing calorie intake, and performing regular daily exercise.

Maintaining a healthy diet is not just a simple as shopping for foods that are marked ‘heart healthy’ in the supermarket. One of the reasons for looking out for different foods that are contributors to a healthy diet is so that your body can maintain a normal daily balance of essential vitamins and minerals that are crucial to daily bodily maintenance. Buying foods that are marked as ‘heart healthy’ does not always necessarily mean that they are particularly healthy for a person’s heart. In fact, without proper moderation of these particular foods that promote heart health, these foods can work to become an adverse effect on a person’s body. Foods that are great to look out for are foods that are rich in color such as dark green, red, and purple vegetables that provide an adequate amount of minerals and antioxidants that work to protect the body from harm.

As noted in the previous paragraph, overindulging on ‘heart healthy’ foods can definitely cause more harm than good. The reason for this is that calories should be moderated over a long period of time in order to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. This can help to significantly reduce the effects of obesity which cause a number of significant and extremely harmful heart diseases which can cause quick mortality. A number of these diseases include hypertension, high cholesterol, type II diabetes, high blood pressure, and related cancers such as breast, endometrial, kidney, mouth, larynx, and esophagus cancers.

However, most heart diseases and bodily diseases are particularly the onset by the over consumption of foods which are chemically processed and contain a high amount of sodium, sugars, and trans fats. These kinds of foods include carbonated sugar filled soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, fast food hamburgers and fries, potato chips, crackers. Excessive consumption of meat and dairy like whole milk and cheese can also contribute to the possibility of having heart disease.

Another important thing that people should consider in heart disease prevention is to start and maintain a daily exercise routine. Research shows that adults between the ages of 18 and 64 should increase exercise activity to at least 225 min. of moderate to intense exercise activity. This will significantly reduce the risks of contracting heart diseases. Three important types of exercise can be included in a person’s daily physical activity routine. These exercises include aerobic, muscle strengthening, and bone strengthening activities. It is not necessary to join a gym in order to get these type of exercises accomplished. Many of these exercises can be found online at YouTube or various their friends sports advocating websites. In addition, having a heart defibrillator on hand can also be of great assistance to people who are in need of monitoring their heart.

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Posted in Cardiac Arrest, CPR, Defibrillators, Heart Disease

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CPR & AED Training for High School Graduates

Thursday, March 10th, 2011

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) education and training should be required for high school students. They are the next generation and most cardiac arrest events occur in the home. In a sense, this entire next generation could become first responders and prevent many potential needless deaths.

States have various recommendations when it comes to the length of certification and a benefit is that relearning the process of CPR and how to use an AED allows for trainees to remain up to date on any technology changes. Recently, the American Heart Association (AHA) released an advisory calling for these trainings during secondary education because cardiac arrest is one the top causes of death in the country. Every year, when students graduate a fresh new group of highly trained youth enters society ready to act without hesitation when an emergency occurs.

There are many challenges to consider when trying to implement this training and actually require it for qualifying for graduation. Some may say it necessitates more funding but at least some of the cost is already built into an average school system’s budget. Most schools already teach health and allocate a certain percentage of funds from its budget to cover instructing human health topics.

Others may say we should concentrate on the main goal of education first: instructing our youth in science, math and other subjects to properly prepare them for their future in their respective communities. Again, the financial resources should already be built into existing budgets. This is also similar to the argument that there is only so much time during a school day and every hour comes at a premium. Again, this training could be included into health science or physical education classes.

AED’s are increasingly becoming popular in malls, airports, theaters and even passenger ferries. Training students before an accident or emergency occurs should increase the chances of survival for any trauma victim. Having more trained civilians in society increases the chance that a bystander will have the knowledge and training to assist during any emergency and their confidence will help calm any friends and family of this victim.

Some proposals have included reusing the same mannequins for CPR and AED training purposes throughout a school system. The same concept could apply for the AED devices.

Another benefit to consider is that this age group is associated with positions in which this training is a great benefit. Some high school students are babysitters, lifeguards and other positions which may actually require this type of training.

Important details such as chest compression techniques could be demonstrated if the trainee might not be willing to proceed with mouth to mouth CPR if called for. Proper procedures to perform until professional first responders arrive could mean all the difference in a trauma victim’s chances of survival.

The next step is each state or the federal government passing legislation to ensure this important training is offered and completed by students.

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Educating the Public about CPR and AEDs

Tuesday, February 15th, 2011

AED & CPR Training
Portable defibrillators have come as a major breakthrough in the medical world as they have made it easier to save lives. These are some of the most crucial devices carried around today by a number of ambulances and people. The devices can help save a life when ventricular tachycardia of ventricular fibrillation becomes persistence thereby threatening the life of the individual in question.

The portable devices have come in handy in thousands of occasion where there were no right medical personnel in resuscitating people suffering from cardiac arrests saving them from the jaws of death. They are essential in helping the patients before they get to the hospital to get the right treatment and care that they might need.

The automated external defibrillators have undergone gradual improvements over the years with the attention given to the design and the portability of the gadgets. They are also made in such a way that they are able to analyze the heart rhythm and diagnose the right shock rhythm then charge. This is of great importance since it means that there are basically no skills needed in resuscitating the heart provided one has the knowledge of using the device. Even without a medical background, ordinary people can attend to emergencies using the AED.

Years back, the bulky defibrillators were dangerous when left in the hands of untrained personnel and they never left the hospitals but with the portable devices now, it is easy to move around with them and even use them when the situation calls without worrying that they might not function well or that they might pose dangers to the person suffering and person administering in case they are not used well.

With the portable devices, it is now much easier to save lives regardless where the situation calls for such measures. Since the cases of cardiac arrest seem to be increasing by the day, the portable defibrillators have come in handy and are very useful even in the streets and homes where the six minutes can mean a lot ion saving a life. It is not always that emergencies occur in areas where there is a hospital or medical care nearby.

The good thing about the automated defibrillators is that they have the ability to determine whether the patient suffering from cardiac arrest really needs the shocks. On realizing that there is indeed a need to administer the current, it is able to measure the right voltage needed for that particular case. This is an important feature as it means that an individual does not have to worry about wasting the wattage or administering the wrong wattage on the individual. The only important thing is to know how to use the device and it does the rest.

Portable defibrillators come in designs that are friendly meaning that they do not cause any storage problems as they can be stored in almost every place chosen. The designs have now made it possible for schools, airports, gate communities and other places and events have the important device just in case there is a need to save a life when least expected.

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