Preventing Sudden Cardiac Arrest Death with AED Defibrillators
We all know that cancer is a major killer in the U.S. but we often underestimate Sudden Cardiac Arrest. It’s SCA that takes the lives without warning of people in their workplace, homes, public places, gyms, athletic events and yes even kids in school. The American Heart Association claims there are a shocking 360,000 deaths each year, that’s 1,000 today and another 1,000 tomorrow, etc. Cardiac Arrest is caused by an unexpected electrical misfire in the heart which causes the heart to quiver rapidly as part of a chaotic heart rhythm. Following this the victim drops to the ground, loses consciousness, and is unable to breathe or show signs of life. In short, the heart must be stopped by a defibrillation shock in hopes that it is restarted into a normal rhythm. SCA happens to men and women, young and old, and even school aged schools and it is most unpredictable.
There’s a silver lining to these troubling statistics and that’s the technology has made possible public defibrillators which can be used by ordinary people to revive the victim and bring them back from sure death. AEDs are Automated External Defibrillators and these surprisingly simple-to-use devices guide the responder through the rescue. These are the general steps as to how to revive the victim:
1. Direct someone to call 911 and direct some to retrieve the AED
2. Begin CPR until the AED arrives
3. The AED should be removed from the surface mount cabinet (unless already mobile)
4. Open the carrying case but the AED sometimes does not need to be completely removed from the case
5. Power on the AED which is done by pushing the power button or unlatching the AED lid
6. Follow the AED’s voice prompts exactly as directed
7. Look for visual prompts like a text screen, illuminating diagrams or a video screen (these are most helpful for noisy environments)
8. Remove clothing from the victim’s chest
9. Place the electrode pads as directed or diagrammed, one goes on the upper right of the bare chest and the other in the lower left
10. Once the pads are placed properly the AED determines if a shock is required
11. If a shockable rhythm is detected the AED will advise a shock
12. If directed to deliver a shock push the shock button (some AEDs are fully-automatic which means it delivers a shock without having to push a shock button)
13. How to use an AED When prompted to begin CPR place overlapping hands in the middle of the chest and push down approximately one third of the depth of the chest at the rate 100 compression per minute
14. Subsequent shocks are sometimes required if the initial shock is not successful, the device will advise accordingly
Individuals handle pressure differently and thus training efforts should be maximized for the staff with CPR/AED training, instructional videos, and periodic refreshers. All these efforts improve the chance of a revival. If you have questions as to how to use an AED or your specific AED-type contact PurchaseAEDs.com & AED One-Stop Shop for expert level consultative support. If you’re interested on equipping your place of business, place of worship or organization now take a look at these popular bundles which include cabinets and signage and all the needed accessories for great overall value:
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