Defibrillators & AEDs
An AED (Automated External Defibrillator) is a portable electronic device that can audibly prompt and deliver an electric shock that will disrupt or stop the heart's dysrhythmic electrical activity. The shock will not start a dead heart, but it will stop certain lethal rhythms and give the heart a chance to spontaneously re-establish an effective rhythm on its own. According to the American Heart Association, CPR rescue attempts using electric defibrillation or AED’s improves survival rates by as much as 49%.
The fact that most sudden cardiac deaths occur away from hospitals is the reason why there are cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) programs for EMS level personnel and for laypersons. Two early problems with recognizing and caring for heart attack patients are being resolved. The first problem, delay in starting CPR, has been dramatically reduced through the training of more citizens who can administer CPR before EMS personnel arrive. The second problem stems from the fact that many heart attacks are fatal no matter how soon CPR is started. These deaths are often caused by lethal heart rhythms that must be corrected as soon as possible if the patients are to survive. The special procedure needed to save some of these patients can now be done in a pre-hospital setting by emergency-care providers such as first responders and EMT's. This special procedure is called defibrillation, which is an electrical shock given to a patient's heart in an attempt to disrupt a lethal rhythm and allow the heart to re-establish a normal rhythm.EMT's and first responders have been learning how to assess and defibrillate certain lethal cardiac rhythms by using AED's. Now many non-EMS individuals are being trained to use AED's because these lifesaving machines are being placed in shopping malls, at golf courses, on airplanes, in airports, and in many other public gathering and recreational places. The US senate has passed S.1488, the Cardiac Arrest Survival Act, which has two purposes. First, it instructs the secretary of Health and Human services to make recommendations to promote public access to defibrillation programs in federal buildings and other public areas across the country. This helps to ensure the health and safety of everyone by encouraging ready access to the tools needed to improve cardiac arrest survival rates. Second, the act extends good samaritan protections to AED users and to those who acquire AED's in those states that do no currently have AED good samaritan protections. This protection will encourage laypersons to respond in a cardiac emergency and use an AED. This legislation will enable and encourage more placement and use of AED's in public places.
The cardiac arrest survival act is a critical step toward increasing cardiac arrest survival rates, but just as critical is the training of those who will use AED's. Training will provide the information needed to understand the heart's electrical system functions and dysfunctions and the procedures for assessing and providing initial care for a person complaining of chest pain and going into cardiac arrest. Training will provide information on operation of the AED, and practice time with the AED. Training will also demonstrate the setup and defibrillation steps and emphasize all necessary precautions to take when performing the AED's special procedure. If the defibrillation is successful, the heart can regain or restart its normal rhythm.
