Guide to Automated External Defibrillators
According to the American Heart Association, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a major health concern which lacks public awareness. SCA deaths usually occur only minutes after the symptoms appear. Every year, over 300,000 people die of coronary heart disease before being admitted to an emergency room, and most of these are deaths are due to SCA.
Brain death can occur within four to six minutes of the onset of SCA. Thankfully, cardiac arrest is reversible in almost all victims if treated within the first few minutes. Treatment is the application of electric shock in order to restore the normal heartbeat, followed by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). A defibrillator is the device used to administer the electric shock, which must be used promptly after the onset of symptoms, as every minute that passes without defibrillation and CPR reduces a victim's chance of survival by 7 to 10 percent. The CPR technique is usually easily acquired through a class; the best method for defibrillation is to use a portable mechanism to deliver the electric shock to the victim's heart.
An automated external defibrillator, or AED, is a portable, lightweight device that can deliver an electric shock through the skin of the chest to the heart. The electric shock stops an irregular heart rhythm caused by SCA and allows the heart's normal rhythm to resume. AEDs permit people to quickly respond to an emergency situation where defibrillation is required, as medical personnel cannot always be on the scene within the critical window of time. AEDs can be used by non-medical personnel with proper training, and many models of AEDs are available through medical equipment suppliers, such as www.aedmasters.com. Studies show that of the people who have implemented an emergency program which includes access to an AED, 34 percent have used the device once or more to save a life.