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Frequently Asked Questions About AED Defibrillators
The Irish Heart Foundation does not recommend or endorse any make
of defibrillator but supports and promotes the use of defibrillators.
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Question: What is an AED?
Answer: AED stands
for Automatic External Defibrillator. An AED is used to administer
an electric shock to a person who is having a cardiac arrest. AEDs are
designed to allow non-medical personnel to save lives.
Question: How does an AED work?
Answer: Two
pads, connected to the AED, are placed on the patient's chest. A
computer inside the AED analyzes the patient's heart rhythm and
determines if a shock is required to save the victim. If a shock is
required, the AED uses voice instructions to guide the user through
saving the person's life.
Question: Why do we need AEDs?
Answer: AEDs save lives. When a person has a sudden cardiac arrest ("SCA"),
their heart's regular rhythm becomes chaotic or arrhythmic. Every
minute that the heart is not beating lowers the odds of survival by 7%
to 10%. After 10 minutes without defibrillation very few people
survive.
Question: What is Sudden Cardiac
Arrest (SCA)?
Answer: Sudden cardiac arrest is when the heart's normal heart rhythm suddenly
becomes chaotic. The heart can no longer pump the blood effectively
and the victim collapses, stops breathing, becomes unresponsive, and
has no detectable pulse. When used on a victim of SCA, the AED can be
used to administer a life-saving electric shock that restores the
heart's rhythm to normal.
Question: Is SCA the same as a
heart attack?
Answer: No.
Both the heart attack (myocardial infarction) and a sudden cardiac
arrest have to do with the heart, but they are different problems. SCA
is an electrical problem; a heart attack is a "plumbing" problem.
Sometimes a heart attack, which may not be fatal in itself, can
trigger a sudden cardiac arrest.
Question: Who can have a SCA?
Answer: Anyone, anytime. Children can have SCAs, teenagers can have SCAs,
athletes can have SCAs, old people can have SCAs. Although the risk of
SCA increases with age and in people with heart problems, a large
percentage of the victims are people with no known risk factors.
Question: What does the American
Heart Association and the Irish Heart foundation say about AEDs?
Answer: The
Irish Heart Foundation and the American Heart Association strongly supports having AEDs in public areas such as sports
arenas, office complexes, schools, doctors' offices, shopping centres,
golf courses, airports, and other public places. The AHA also
advocates that all police and fire and rescue vehicles be equipped
with an AED.
Question: What is the recommended
treatment for SCA?
Answer:
Defibrillation is the only treatment proven to restore a normal heart
rhythm.
Question: How much time do I have
to respond if someone has a sudden cardiac arrest?
Answer: Only
minutes. Defibrillate within 3 minutes and the chances of survival are
70%. After 10 minutes, the chances of survival are negligible.
Question: I know CPR; wouldn't it
help?
Answer: CPR
only buys a little more time - potentially giving the victim a small
amount of extra time until a defibrillator arrives. But SCA ultimately
requires a shock to restore a normal heart rhythm. As a result, most
CPR training now also includes AED training.
Question:
Is an AED complicated to use?
Answer: AEDs
are very easy to use. An AED can be used by practically anyone who has
been shown what to do. In fact, there are a number cases where people
with no training at all have saved lives.
Question: Can a non-medical
person make a mistake when using an AED?
Answer: AEDs are safe to use by anyone who has been
shown how to use them. The AED's voice guides the rescuer through the
steps involved in saving someone; for example, "apply pads to
patient's bare chest" (the pads themselves have pictures of where they
should be placed) and "press red shock button." Furthermore,
safeguards have been designed into the unit precisely so that
non-medical responders can't use the AED to shock someone who doesn't
need a shock.
Question: Can the AED itself make
a mistake?
Answer: It is unlikely. Studies show that AEDs interpret
the victim's heart rhythm more quickly and accurately than many
trained emergency professionals. If the AED determines that no shock
is needed, it will not allow a shock to be given.
Question: What else do I need to do to keep my AED in working
order?
Answer: The pad package must be
replaced every two years. Otherwise, the AED performs automatic
self-checks on a regular basis to test its operational readiness. If
anything is not fully functional, the unit will make a loud chirp and
flash a red light warning the owner that servicing may be required.
Question: What features should I
look for in an AED?
Answer: Look
for 1) an AED that is easy for non-medical people to use, 2) an AED
that is technically reliable, and 3) one that is reasonably priced.
Question: How do I buy a defibrillator - AED?
Answer: Contact Safety Ireland
LoCall: 1890 444 999
website:
http://www.defib.ie
email:
info@defib.ie |
The Defibtech AED unit meets and exceeds all the
requirements listed in
“Advisory External
Defibrillator” National Pre-Hospital Standards 2008
by the UCD School of Medicine &
Medical Science Centre for Immediate Care Services
Click here to
download report
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