Saving a life is as easy as AED
By Kathy Atwell
Every year, more than 220,000 people die from cardiac arrest. More than 80% of those deaths occur outside of the hospital. About two thirds of those people had no previous history of heart disease.
What does that mean for the average person? Almost everyone has a story about a neighbor or a co-worker or a loved one who experienced a heart attack. A 911 call is important of course, but the national average response time for EMS help is 7-10 minutes. For every minute the AED is delayed, a person’s chance of survival goes down by 10%.
Many times symptoms of a heart attack will be obvious, but often there are no symptoms before Sudden Cardiac Arrest occurs. It has been suggested by medical experts that at least 40,000 lives could be saved each year if AEDs were more widely available and accessible.
What is an AED? An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a small portable device used to administer an electric shock to the heart and restore the heart’s normal rhythm during Sudden Cardiac Arrest. If the heart can be shocked quickly with an AED, a normal heart rhythm can be restored. Once available only to hospitals, these devices are now readily available in many public places where they are easily accessible.
What if I shock someone who doesn’t need it? Not possible! The AED is designed to deliver a shock ONLY if this person would benefit from it. In fact I could attach a defibrillator to any healthy person, push the shock button and nothing would happen at all!
How effective are they? Victims of Sudden Cardiac Arrest who collapse in public places often have higher survival rates than those who collapse at home, because they are more likely to receive CPR and defibrillation.
In one study of public access defibrillation programs, AEDs were placed in a casino. After 150 cases of observed Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), the study showed a 74% survival rate in those who were defibrillated within 3 minutes of collapse. Chicago’s O’Hare airport reports a 70% success rate with their defibrillator program. The successful use of an AED is primarily related to the speed with which the AED is applied to the patient.
Survivor stories: Ask Barbara, a 40 something woman in Buffalo Grove, IL, who was working out in the pool at the Buffalo Grove Fitness Center. She experienced SCA and was pulled out of the pool by a staff member, who began CPR until the fitness manager brought the AED. Because of their quick actions, Barbara is alive and well and very grateful.
Or you can ask the Michigan woman who in April of last year experienced a heart attack while driving, and went off the road. A Good Samaritan who noticed the emergency got out of his car to check her, and found her in cardiac arrest. He happened to be an AED salesman, took a unit out of his car, applied the pads and saved her life.
13 year old Nick was playing football in Las Vegas, Nevada when he experienced Sudden Cardiac Arrest, and was revived with the school’s AED.
Jim, who was 64 at the time, had just bought himself the Philips HeartStart defibrillator for his home 2 weeks before he began to experience a heart attack and then went unconscious. His wife quickly attached the AED pads to him, shocked him, and his heart rhythm returned to normal.
The stories are way too numerous to mention, but nearly always have a happy ending.
I’m afraid I’ll be sued! Understandable really, given the litigious nature of our society. But it is comforting to know that we, as lay responders, are protected from liability by the Good Samaritan laws. These laws protect us if we are acting in good faith, not being deliberately negligent, and do not exceed the scope of our training. (That means anything you saw on TV doesn’t count – even if you saw it on the Discovery Channel!) http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2076 (For more information on the Illinois Good Samaritan Laws.)
How do I learn to use it? That’s the easy part! Using an AED is as simple as pushing a button…one to turn it on, and one to shock, if needed. A good training class in Adult CPR and AED should take approximately 41/2 hours and include plenty of hands on practice with a manikin and AED trainer. A class should have a teacher to student ratio of no more than 1:10. I’ve received a significant amount of feedback from people who have taken classes that were done in far less than the recommended amount of time and left them very confused and unsure of themselves. The goal of the class should be to thoroughly train and certify the participants in a well known, nationally recognized program, not just hand out certificates.
How do I choose an AED for my company or my home? Cost, of course, is a major factor. But key also, is ease of use. The last thing you want in a stressful and life threatening situation is to be unable to figure out how to use the unit. I recently taught an AED class at a company where, despite 12 years of teaching with various defibrillators, it took me almost 5 minutes to get into their unit. An inexpensive unit that is confusing will benefit nobody. When considering a purchase, ask to see it demonstrated. It should be very easy to open, and should issue very clear, easy to follow directions. If possible, compare several units. All follow the same basic principle: turn it on and follow directions. Last, but absolutely essential, research the models you are considering. Some have a history of recalls, failures, and lawsuits.
How many AEDs should I have in my company? To receive the most benefit from an AED program, and give everyone in the company the best chance at survival, an AED should be no more than 1 ½ minutes from any point in the building. That means that by the time a responder runs from where an employee has fallen to the AED and back, the AED can be applied in under 3 minutes, giving that patient a 70% chance of survival.
Technology has improved, and the price for a really excellent, problem free and easy to use unit has come way down to under $2,000.00 for an AED unit complete with accessories. At these prices, and with the potential life-saving benefits, it is my recommendation that every company have an AED easily available.
