This Month:
- Hero 101 By Dean Traiger, M.D., aka Doc-Dean
- Java Nation U.S.A. By Mike Hunter, aka Clearpath
Being a geocacher means that you have developed some unique technical skills that you may not even realize. A geocacher has skill on the use of a GPSr, the Internet, a pocket computer (for paperless caching), and a cell phone. Believe it or not, you already have more than the skills needed to save the life of someone who is in cardiac arrest - or at least keep them alive long enough for professional help to arrive.
An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a small, lightweight computer used to assess a person's heart rhythm. If necessary, it administers an electric shock to restore a normal rhythm in victims of sudden cardiac arrest. A microprocessor inside the defibrillator analyzes the victim's heart rhythm through adhesive electrodes. The computer then advises the operator whether a shock is needed. When the operator responds to the prompt to give a shock, an electric current is delivered through the victim's chest wall through adhesive electrode pads.
AEDs can restore a normal heart rhythm in victims of sudden cardiac arrest, which may result in a heart attack or sudden death. When a person suffers a sudden cardiac arrest, the chance of survival decreases by ten percent for each minute that passes without defibrillation. 700 people die each day from cardiac arrest. Experts estimate that 100,000 lives could be saved each year if AEDs were widely used. Anyone trained to use cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can be trained to use an AED. Most AEDs are designed to be used by people without medical backgrounds.
When a heart's rhythm goes into an uncoordinated electrical activity called fibrillation, the heart twitches ineffectively and can't pump blood. This condition often accompanies severe heart attacks when the patient's heart appears to have stopped beating. The AED delivers electric current to the heart muscle, momentarily stunning the heart, stopping all activity. This gives the heart an opportunity to resume beating effectively and in a normal rhythm.
Will an AED always resuscitate someone in cardiac arrest?
No. The AED treats only a heart in ventricular fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm. In cardiac arrest without ventricular fibrillation, the heart does not respond to electric currents, but needs medications. The victim also needs breathing support. AEDs are less successful when the victim has been in cardiac arrest for more than a few minutes, especially if no CPR was provided.
Do AEDs replace the use of CPR?
No. When a person experiences cardiac arrest, CPR will help keep oxygen flowing to the brain, but the electric shock of an AED vastly improves the chances of restarting the heart. AEDs can be used as part of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. CPR is still needed, starting with determining whether a person is unconscious, breathless, or pulseless.
AEDs are appearing in increasing numbers of public places, such as stadiums, casinos, shopping malls, health clubs, and golf courses. According to the American Heart Association, programs training people to use AEDs can raise survival rates for cardiac arrest from below five percent to as high as 50 percent. Such programs are even appearing in local schools to train students in both cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and in the use of AEDs.
Using an AED
The AED operator needs to do only four things:
- Attach the pads to the patient's chest
- Follow the instructions on the AED readout or voice prompts
- Keep bystanders away from the patient (to minimize the risk of accidentally shocking someone)
To help spread the use of AEDs, the American Red Cross has incorporated AED training into standard CPR training for the nation's businesses. The American Red Cross trains approximately 6 million people each year in lifesaving first aid and CPR.