Posts Tagged ‘defibrillator’

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Three Things Everyone Should Know about Portable Defibrillators

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

The first thing to note about portable defibrillators is that these devices have been technologically improved to be used by anyone when a person has a cardiac arrest. The device can be carried anywhere and this is the sole reason why it can be bought in online shops or retail stores. The main thing to focus on when buying a portable defibrillator is quality. The defibrillator needs to be in good condition because emergency cases arise anytime of the day or night. This means that a person who has a sick child or spouse needs to carry out a thorough research on the Internet for the best portable defibrillators. The sites selling these devices much have testimonials from previous clients who have bought and used them. A portable defibrillator is moderately expensive because this device has been improved to be used by anyone who has a relative or friend with a heart condition. It is worth its price because a defibrillator at home will help save a life as compared to calling for emergency help which will arrive minutes or hours later.

The second thing people should know about portable defibrillators is that they do not work without human operation. This means that the device will not implement itself when a patient is down on the floor with a heart attack. While buying a portable defibrillator, a person should also acquire CPR skills or find someone who already has the required skills. If a child has a heart condition, the parents should learn how to use the device so that when an emergency case occurs, they have an instant response. Elderly people living at home should find someone who can help them when one is experiencing a heart attack. This means that a person must squat down and put the device on top of the patient. Operating the device is the most important thing after buying it. Some people have a history of heart condition and this calls for a device that has to be ready at any moment because anyone in the family can have a heart attack.

A portable defibrillator uses batteries and this makes the feature or portability effective. The device can be carried to school, at work or even when traveling. The best portable defibrillators have a good battery life and it is very important to buy a device that does not have battery defects. Checking out reviews about the product on different websites will give you the absolute knowledge for the best portable defibrillator with a good battery. A portable defibrillator is used hands free and this means that when a patient has a heart attack, the device is attached to the patient’s chest and then an audio-prompt alerts the operator when a pulse has been detected. The device has buttons where you can push after the alert and use your hands to make emergency calls while the defibrillator is working. Heart patients are not only adults but also kids. This means that you can purchase a defibrillator for small children and also for adults.

Leave your comment »

Posted in Defibrillator News, Defibrillators

Tags:

Benefits of Having Portable Defibrillator in Your Community

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011

At any given moment a person you are walking behind can collapse in front of you. Will you be prepared to assist someone who is dying right in front of your eyes? Are you even aware of the box with the lightning bolt or big red letters ‘AED’ hanging on the wall?

In your community there should be AED’s. They are a device which delivers a shock of electricity specifically to the heart. If none are available, contact your local government and petition for AED’s. These devices are vital to the survival of a cardiac arrest. Every 4 seconds someone in the United States has a cardiac arrest. The odds of someone you know experiencing a heart attack this year are great. Rural communities who endure complications from understaffed EMS systems and elongated travel times to cardiac hospitals desperately need AED’s.

Simplicity has been incorporated by the manufactures. You do not need to be a healthcare worker to use and potentially save someone’s life, on possibly the worst day of their life. There is no other alternative to making a difference. Defibrillators are a necessity at community sports centers, schools, and public buildings. Some areas have AED’s in the back of the police cruisers because they are just that vital for potentially surviving a cardiac arrest.

The defibrillator pads are placed on the victim’s chest, one on the upper right and one on the lower left towards the end of the rib cage. The machine then reads the electrical activity of the heart. If two specific rhythms are detected the machine will speak to you and tell you “shock advised.” Simplicity in a moment when the whole world has stopped while the emergency rages forward, with a voice which guides you through a situation you never can be totally prepared to deal with.

CPR is very important. The body needs oxygen so the wonderful mysteries of life can proceed. CPR is designed to step-in when the heart tries to step-out. Ventricular Fibrillation and Ventricular Tachycardia are the only shock-able rhythms. Ventricular Fibrillation is where the hearts cells which normally act as one unit start anarchy and decide to override each other. This creates a quivering of the heart and no blood can move throughout the body. Ventricular Tachycardia is similar though this is where the bottom half is firing off so fast that the heart cannot refill to push blood through the vessels. Electricity is the number one choice in emergency rooms and is available for your use if you have a defibrillator available to you. Get involved in your community and save a life. The benefits of having a portable defibrillator in your community could be a matter of life or death. Take the time to make a difference in your state.

Leave your comment »

Posted in Defibrillators, Survival Stories

Tags:

Shocking Statistics Show Most Citizens are Unwilling to use AEDs

Monday, March 7th, 2011

The only way for a bystander to help a person who is having a heart attack is through the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED). These portable medical devices are simple to use and they are available in all public areas such as airports, train stations and streets. In a research carried out by professor Patrick Schober shows that only 28% of all the participants could identify an AED and also explain its purpose. This percentage of participants also said that they would use an AED if a person was in cardiac arrest and needed help while in the train station.

In the research, 34% of the total participants said that anyone can use the AED when a patient has collapsed and it is allowed. Among the participants, 49% declared that special paramedic skills and training are required before using an AED on a person in cardiac arrest. Among the many reasons given for not using an AED in emergency cases, 69% of the participants claimed that they did not know how to operate the AEDs while an unbelievable 14% feared using the AED because they did not want to harm the person in cardiac arrest. The statistics are very shocking because only 6% of the total participants instinctively mentioned the use of an automated external defibrillator when they were asked what they would use to quickly save the life of a person suspected to be having a heart attack. The truth of the matter is that bystanders help save a life when they act fast using an AED to save lives. This only saves a total of 1.4 lives in a million cases of such occurrences in North America where heart attack is the principal cause of mortality.

The public has not yet received the full message that AEDs are very simple and safe to operate. This is why so many people do not know what to do when a person has collapsed in public. People often gather around a heart attack victim and wait for emergency response team which will take more than five minutes to arrive. A cardiac arrest only lasts five minutes and after that a victim will succumb to death. People fear harming a patient but not trying to help has always led to death. The fact that AEDs need an extensive campaign for their purpose and availability means that few people know these devices exist. It is without doubt that the public needs to be enlightened on the availability of defibrillators and how to use them. These devices have been designed in such a way that people will follow the voice commands to execute the next step of saving a life on the streets, the train station and other public places. The fear of harming a cardiac arrest victim grips bystanders because they lack the knowledge of the AEDs and how effective they are if used within the first five minutes when a person collapses. Bystanders know the first step of saving a life and that is CPR but the other simple and most effective method of using AEDs has not yet been incorporated into the society.

Leave your comment »

Posted in Defibrillator News, Defibrillators

Tags:

Knowledge of Defibrillation Could Save Lives

Monday, March 7th, 2011

There have been sad cases of marathoners suddenly falling while racing, sport cyclists falling off their bicycles and having a cardiac arrest. Students who play school sports either in High school or Universities suddenly fall on the ground and nobody knows what is wrong until a doctor pronounces them dead. People working late at night in restaurants and normal runners taking a moderate jog in the morning fall on sidewalks due to cardiac arrest all die because immediate response team did not know about portable defibrillators. All these cases would have been managed if bystanders had the knowledge needed to administer CPR and defibrillation within the first five minutes after the cardiac arrest.

The knowledge of defibrillation is very important and easy to apply. CPR alone and waiting for emergency personnel to arrive will not change the fact that a victim on the ground will barely make it after five minutes. In many cases where victims’ heart stopped suddenly, family and friends wished that somebody trained could have saved the victims’ lives.

The most incredible medical device that has been incorporated in the society to be used by anybody is a portable defibrillator. This device does not require technical skills to operate it and many people who have the knowledge of its existence can save a lot of lives. Arrhythmia and ventricular tachycardia are among the most dangerous heart conditions that cause cardiac arrest and death after a short while.

When the heart stops functioning, the other organs will shut down very fast and the brain being the major organ in the body that cannot be replaced, it will lack oxygen and also shut down leading to death. This occurs after a very short period of time of about five minutes if the heart does not restart. The most important thing to know is that a cardiac arrest victim is unconscious and everything that has to be done to save the life of this person has to be effective and fast.

The knowledge of how to use a defibrillator is very important. This can be taught to anybody and it does not require physical classes to be ready for an emergency. The first steps of emergency response are very simple which involves calling the emergency personnel and fetching the defibrillator. CPR should be done while another person is preparing the AED. A person who has collapsed due to a heart attack should be removed from a place that is damp or has water to prevent electrocution. Wire bracelets and necklaces should also be removed to prevent burns. The pads are labeled and the kit comes with very clear and simple instructions.

The defibrillator analyzes the rhythm of the heart and checks for a pulse that can be shocked. A person carrying out this procedure will perform easily because a voice command will request for a shock when needed to normalize the heart’s rhythm. Many lives will be saves and the end of a cardiac arrest will not be death if people have the basic knowledge of defibrillation and lifesaving skills.

Leave your comment »

Posted in Cardiac Arrest, Defibrillators, Survival Stories

Tags:

Three Things You Should Know Post-Cardiac Arrest

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

The most important factor following cardiac arrest is the quality of after care. After care should include proper use of medication, extreme monitoring of blood pressure, keeping blood sugar levels in normal range and making sure that cholesterol levels are carefully observed. Immediately after cardiac arrest, patients will be hooked up to an electrocardiogram for constant monitoring.

If there are underlying conditions such as diabetes, other precautions need to be followed to prevent further complications. There are three things that you should know that could contribute to death following cardiac arrest: 1) brain injury-caused by lack of oxygen 2) heart dysfunction-abnormal heartbeat or arrhythmia 3) inflammation of arteries or veins-high cholesterol may cause a heart attack where an immediate artery-opening procedure called angioplasty is required. In the event of arrhythmia, many patients also need to have a defibrillator implanted.

Brain injury occurs when there is a cessation of blood flow to the brain, as in the case when a victim falls into unconsciousness following cardiac arrest. That is why post cardiac care begins with immediate medical intervention to ensure that there isn’t any permanent neurological damage.

A defibrillator is an electronic device that is used to shock the heart following cardiac arrest. When cardiac arrest is caused by arrhythmia the device corrects the pattern of irregular heartbeats and returns the heart’s rhythm back to regular beats. When a patient suffers cardiac arrest- the heart is under attack, it beats out of rhythm. Under normal circumstances, the beat of the heart is controlled by an electrical sequence that signals the correct rhythm in the right atrium. The defibrillator is used to restore normal contraction rhythms, after cardiac arrest the heart is no longer capable of maintaining normal contractions- it delivers shock-waves directly to the heart.

It should be noted that a defibrillator is not the same as a pacemaker. It can be used in conjunction with a pacemaker when the heart no longer functions correctly. Patients with certain conditions such as coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure are the ones who benefit the most from a defibrillator. There are many health conditions which require that patient have a defibrillator implanted to prevent future cardiac episodes. Coronary artery or heart disease is a leading cause of all deaths related to cardiac arrest.

Cardiac arrest causes an interruption in blood flow to the heart. It’s characterized by the need to increased circulatory support by trained medical personnel immediately following the attack. Medical emergency treatment involves the use of a defibrillator to shock the heart back into rhythm, it’s critical in instances involving a loss of consciousness. The defibrillator is used to shock the heart until a rhythm is present. If medical efforts fail and heart beats are not re-established and there is no present after defibrillation and CPR, there is nothing else that can be done medically for the patient.

Research has shown that receiving immediate medical intervention and post cardiac care improves the chances of recovery and survival following cardiac arrest.

Leave your comment »

Posted in Cardiac Arrest, Heart Disease

Tags:

Defibrillators in School Gyms

Thursday, February 24th, 2011


In an effort to make school gyms safer, many schools are now making sure their gyms have defibrillator located on the premises. A defibrillator, or AED, can be the difference between life and death when a medical emergency occurs in the gym. There are cases of students collapsing during an athletic event or a gym class and not receiving the medical help they needed fast enough. These students lost their lives because response time was critical to their situation. By the time help arrived with the proper medical equipment, it was too late to save them. By making sure that school gyms have defibrillators on their premises, tragedies like this can be avoided.

Recently there have been students that have fallen ill at school gyms and have been helped with a defibrillator. Chris Winston is one such student. He was stricken ill on the same Parkview High School gym floor where Anthony Hobbs died. There was one big difference this time. This time the school had a defibrillator present that was able to be used to save Winston’s life. It was due to Anthony Hobbs’ death on January 2, 2008 that lawmakers acted to get defibrillators into schools. They saw the death of Hobbs as preventable and knew that if a school was prepared they could avoid a tragedy like that from unfolding again. They were right and the family of Chris Winston is thankful that they acted to get the proper medical equipment in the schools. Schools in the Little Rock School District received defibrillators in January 2010 as part of the Anthony Hobbs project created by lawmakers.

Many are hoping that this line of thinking spreads to other school districts. They don’t want defibrillators coming to their school district after a tragedy happens; they want them there now to prevent one. The problem with getting them into schools seems to be the cost. A new defibrillator can cost around $2,000 and many schools are cash strapped as is. Schools throughout the nation are having to cut back on the most basic of services so getting a defibrillator can be prove to be tough. There is no doubt that $2,000 is more than worth it when it comes to saving a life, but schools are just having a hard time coming up with the money.

In some cases schools may have the money for a defibrillator but the issue hasn’t come up yet. That’s why it is important for people to get the message out that these AED devices should be in every school gym nationwide to prevent the loss of life. School officials need to know that everybody is better off if their school is prepared to deal with an emergency medical situation where defibrillator can save a life.

Leave your comment »

Posted in Defibrillators

Tags:

Benefits of Implantable Defibrillators

Monday, February 21st, 2011

The basic knowledge about cardiac arrest or heart attack is that it is usually caused by an electrical malfunction known as ventricular fibrillation. This condition causes the ventricles (lower chambers of the heart) to contract in a rapid and uncoordinated way. The heart will not pump blood when it is in such a state. It is a fatal condition and death usually occurs after five minutes if an external heart massage is not carried out or an electric shock. People who have heart failure, abnormal ventricular beats or those who experienced recent cardiac arrests are at risk of getting a heart attack. Doctors have created an implant device called implantable cardoverter defibrillators (ICDs). This is unlike the portable defibrillators or those found in hospitals. They are inserted into the patient’s body and then work automatically. They detect an abnormal heart rhythm and then emit electrical shocks to normalize the rhythm.

The benefit for this implantable defibrillator is that it does not require hands to be used while operating it. The technology has improved in the sense that, a patient with this device will be safe whether at home, school or far from home. It works instantly when detecting an abnormal pulse and therefore it does not require special knowledge of CPR or a person to work on it. The most amazing thing about it is that no one will notice when a person is having a heart attack because the device has been programmed to detect and repair. People can live healthy lives without the constant worry that a loved one will go under cardiac arrest without their presence.

An implantable defibrillator does not require use batteries. It works on its own mechanism by producing slight electrical shocks to the heart and this can go on for a long period of time. Portable defibrillators usually require batteries to work and sometimes the batteries can run low without a person’s knowledge. This does not occur with ICDs and this is the main reason why these devices are very reliable when implanted in patients’ skin.

A case where a person is having a cardiac arrest requires instant response when a person is using portable or hospital defibrillators. This means that within five minutes, the response team should have normalized the uncoordinated heart rhythm. This will only work when a response team is present at the time of heart attack. When a patient is far away playing with friends or alone, the chances of dying are very high because other defibrillators require human operation and this can take a while when installing the device and also putting the patient in the right position for the procedure. Implantable defibrillators work anywhere at any time of the day or night. The response to cardiac arrest is instant and patients sometimes do not realize they are undergoing cardiac arrest because the device has been designed to detect even the faint abnormal heart rhythms cannot be detected by people. The ICDs are the ultimate devices to combat heart attack in kids and old people.

Leave your comment »

Posted in Implantable Defibrillators

Tags:

AEDs in the Work Place

Monday, February 14th, 2011

Automatic external defibrillators have found new places in the companies and businesses that have a lot of employees. People are now aware of medical crisis that lead to death within five minutes while waiting for emergency personnel to arrive in uniforms, stretchers and an ambulance. A busy company needs an AED the same way it needs a fire extinguisher. Employees and clients are all at risk of a fatal heart attack while in the office.

Emergency AEDs in the office need to be put in places that are easily accessible and trained employees should always be present. The fact that CPR is very important, an office is a place full of people who are very active and responsive: one employee calls 911 and another employee gets the AED device, while a trained person in CPR gives the victim rescue breaths and removes all clothing in the chest area ready to apply the AED pads. Shaving a cardiac arrest victim should be done quickly and sweat wiped off the chest of the victim.

The first five minutes after a cardiac arrest are the most crucial when trying to save a life. Statistics show that in every minute that employees fail to administer CPR to a victim of heart attack the chances of survival reduce by 7-10%. When employees are gathered around the victim waiting for a twelve minutes response from 911, the chances of patient’s survival reduce by 84%. When CPR alone is used, the chances of survival are only 1-5% which is very minimal because the hand does not know how to compress for a good shock to restart the heart. The use of CPR and an automatic external defibrillator increases the chances of survival by 49-75%.

The statistics of death caused by cardiac arrest in America has led to a new response technique in businesses and corporate. People have taken the initiative to learn how to administer CPR and also use the AED device. There are very important factors to note before using an automatic external defibrillator and all these are taught to all employees in case an emergency occurs when the response team of the office is out for lunch or a meeting. These AEDs should be in all departments so that response will be fast when an employee of a certain department has collapsed. This emergency preparation is almost being incorporated in all offices to help clients, shareholders, employees or anyone around the office. There are some states in the US that are required by law to have AEDs in their commercial premises. If a company does not have these devices, it will be seen as a sign of carelessness or negligence.

Many AEDs in a commercial premise will ultimately reduce liability and insurance premiums. A company should check out if its state is under the law that all business premises should have AEDs. This will help greatly when deciding where to purchase these medical devices. There are retailers who sell AEDs and also give a detailed training session on how to administer CPR and also things to be before using an AED and also how to use the device. Employees need to enroll in the emergency response program and get enlightened about the need to be alert and responsive when a person has a cardiac arrest because this condition is very fatal and quick response is needed.

Leave your comment »

Posted in Defibrillators

Tags:

Who invented the Defibrillator

Thursday, October 28th, 2010

A defibrillator is a devise that sends an electrical shock into the heart through the walls of the chest. The shock is used in cases where for one reason or another the heart has stopped or is not beating in a normal healthy rhythm. The question of who invented the defibrillator is an interesting one, although one without a clear answer.

The history of this medical miracle devise begins in the year 1888 when it was suggested by Mac William that a ventricle fibrillation could be the cause of some cases of sudden death. A ventricular fibrillation occurs when the heart suddenly starts to beat in an abnormal and irregular way. The irregular heart beat can cause the blood in the system to not go where it is needed when it is needed causing sudden death. Mac William however did not invent the defibrillator.

Ten years later in 1899 a discovery was made by Batelli and Prevost that when a large electrical voltage was applied across the heart of animals the voltage could cause vascular fibrillation to stop. Although they brought to light an important clue, neither Prevost nor Batelli invented the defibrillator. Other scientists continued this line of inquiry through the early 1900s.

In the 1920s and 1930s the research into defibrillation was continued with support from the electric companies. The reason behind the support was the large numbers of utility line workers who were killed due to electric shock induce defibrillation every year.

In 1933, in the basement of Johns Hopkins’ Shaffer Hall William Bennett Kouwenhoven, Hooker and Orthello Langworthy discovered that a low electrical voltage could cause a ventricle fibrillation stopping the heart or causing an irregular rhythm and a counter shock could defibrillate or restart the heart. While William Bennett Kouwenhoven and company are given the honor of being the named inventers of the first defibrillator it wasn’t until fourteen years later that the research bore fruit for a human.

The defibrillator machine invented by William Bennett Kouwenhoven and company weighed over 200 pounds and was not exactly mobile so it was not put into immediate use.

Born January 13, 1886, William Bennett Kouwenhoven, an electrical engineer by trade invented three different defibrillators, the open chest defibrillator, the Hopkins AC Defibrillator and the Mine Safety Portable defibrillator as well as the method of heart first aid known as CPR or cardie pulmonary respiration.

The invention of CPR in 1956 came about as a side effect of the experiments he was conducting into a non invasive defibrillator. During one of the experiments it was discovered that the weight of the paddles of the defibrillator raised the dog’s blood pressure.

In 1969 Johns Hopkins bestowed an honorary M.D to William Bennett Kouwenhoven for his advances in medical science. The honor has never been bestowed by Johns Hopkins on another person either before or after that time.

In 1947, a Dr. Claude Beck was able to defibrillate the heart of a patient during surgery. The doctor had noticed that the patient was beginning to suffer a ventricular fibrillation and by applying a 60HRZ alternating current he was able to coax the heart into a more stable pattern. The patient survived.

Dr. William Bennett Kouwenhoven and company were able to fibrillate and defibrillate the heart of a dog through the closed walls of the chest in 1933 and Dr. Claude Beck helped a patent using the same technique in 1947 on an open chest patient but it wasn’t until 1956 when Paul Zoll used the research and theories to perform the first defibrillation through the closed walls of the chest on a human.

Sadly the person who invented the defibrillator and CPR, two of the greatest medical miracles of all time, Dr. William Bennett Kouwenhoven passed away on November 10, 1975.

Leave your comment »

Posted in Defibrillators

Tags:

Proper Defibrillator Training Can Save Lives

Saturday, October 23rd, 2010

An individual doesn’t need to be a doctor or other medical professional in order to operate a defibrillator, a computerized piece of medical equipment capable of measuring a person’s heart rhythm in order to know if electrical shock must be applied to stimulate the heart muscle. But proper defibrillator training is necessary in order to know how to use a defibrillator safely and effectively in order to save a life.

There are manual defibrillators, semiautomatic models as well as the latest technology known as AED (automated external defibrillators). Defibrillator training on an AED takes only a few hours. The American Heart Association can direct an individual to a certified defibrillator training course in the area, and some community colleges and fire department first aid corps also offer classes to private individuals. The AHA is responsible for training an average of 250,000 individuals annually in proper defibrillator training.

Defibrillator training consists of classroom theory regarding unexpected episodes of cardiac arrest , proper resuscitation techniques and the techniques for properly operating a defibrillator, as well as participating in several hands-on training scenarios in order to know how this device works in action. In a defibrillator training course, the emergency situation is simulated but as close to the real thing as possible in order for students to learn how to react in a life-threatening emergency where time is of the essence. The main purpose of defibrillator training is to not only give the individual the technical know-how of how to use the device properly but also the confidence to take charge in an emergency situation in which a defibrillator may be necessary to save an individual’s life following a heart attack or other trauma requiring an electrical charge to restart the heartbeat. In a defibrillator training course, students go through a variety of simulated emergency situations in order to gain confidence in recognizing an emergency situation and then following through with the proper techniques involving defibrillator usage.

The sophisticated defibrillator devices in use today may require thorough training in order to become familiar with the voice and text prompts given by the machine, but they are invaluable in making the determination if a shock must be administered rather than leaving it up to the defibrillator operator. Training helps the operator know exactly where the pads must be positioned on the body so that when the defibrillator administers the shock it will do the most good without harming either the operator or the patient.

Ideally, defibrillator training should be paired with training in CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) since at the first sign of heart attack, CPR techniques are usually administered first, then the defibrillator device is employed if necessary, eventually resuming the CPR technique once again until medical help arrives.

Shopping malls, airports and sports arenas are just some of the places where defibrillators are being positioned as life saving emergency equipment. Time is of the essence when someone’s heart has stopped and they need emergency assistance. Because response time from local fire rescue teams can be minutes away, an individual who has taken a defibrillator training course and knows how to use a defibrillator device properly and effectively could help save an individual’s life in addition to preventing brain damage if left unassisted until medical help arrives.

Leave your comment »

Posted in Defibrillator Training

Tags: