Definitions: Cardiac Arrest or Heart Attack?

According to The American Heart Association, Sudden Cardiac Arrest occurs when the heart fibrillates- a chaotic, abnormal activity of the heart- which causes the heart to quiver in an uncontrollable fashion.

The person loses consciousness very quickly and unless the condition is reversed, death will follow in a matter of minutes.

A Heart Attack, on the other hand, occurs when the blood supply to the part of the heart muscle itself is severely reduced or stopped because of an obstruction in an artery. A heart attack can trigger sudden cardiac arrest, but they are not the same things.

Making this distinction is important, because while both cases are medical emergencies, a person suffering sudden cardiac arrest literally has minutes to live, and responding with an AED within those minutes will mean the difference between life and death.

 

Defibrillators and Automatic External Defibrillators

Approximately 300,000 Americans die each year from sudden cardiac arrest. But with timely implementation of CPR and the use of a fairly recent and very important medical tool called the Automatic External Defibrillator, or AED, trained responders may save up to 50,000 of those lives.

The most common cause of sudden cardiac arrest is ventricular fibrillation, a disturbance in the heart rhythm. Ventricular fibrillation cuts off blood supply to the brain and other vital organs. If blood flow is not restored immediately, it may cause permanent brain damage or death. For every minute that treatment is not attempted, the chance of resuscitation drops by almost 10%. According to experts, using an AED within five minutes will greatly increase the victim's chance of survival. It is hoped that AEDs will soon become as readily available as fire extinguishers, with easy access and able to be used by anyone.

AEDs are virtually mistake-proof if you follow the instructions, although it is still recommended that people get proper training by organizations such as The Red Cross or The American Heart Association. Regardless of which brand of AED is used, the only knowledge required to operate it is to press the "ON" button; the computer voice prompts will then guide you through the rest of the procedure. Emergency help should always be called when an AED is used.

How to buy an AED

The majority of AEDs require a prescription to purchase. The FDA approved one AED, the Philips HeartStart Home Defibrillator, for home use in 2004. Since it is available over the counter, you do not need a prescription to buy it. Prescription AEDs are safer and more efficient when used by trained personnel, but in an emergency can be used by almost anyone.

All 50 U.S. states have Good Samaritan Laws to protect laypeople when using an AED in an emergency. The average price of an AED ranges from $1200 to $3200, depending on your needs. You can get more information on buying an AED and taking classes on how to use them from The Red Cross or The American Heart Association.

The chain of survival for sudden cardiac arrest

  • Early Access
    When an emergency is recognized, the first link in the Chain of Survival is early access. This means activating the emergency medical services, or EMS, system by calling 911. (911 does not work in every community. Be sure to check your local directory and know the correct emergency phone number in your community.)
  • CPR
    The second link in the Chain of Survival is to perform CPR until a defibrillator becomes available. It is now recognized that early CPR is essential to resuscitation from cardiac arrest.
  • Early Defibrillation
    The third and most critical link in the Chain of Survival for a victim of ventricular fibrillation is early defibrillation.
  • Early Advanced Life Support
    The last link in the Chain of Survival is early advanced life support. This is provided by experienced medical personnel such as paramedics, nurses, and doctors. Advanced life support includes giving medications and using advanced oxygen delivery techniques to resuscitate a person.
  • AEDs and Children
    If a child's heart is not big enough, an AED could actually damage the heart and prevent resuscitation. If the child is the size of a typical eight-year old, about 55 pounds, then the adult AED protocol is followed. For children over one-year but less than 55 pounds, the pediatric cable is used, which reduces the amount of energy that the AED delivers. An AED should not be used on children younger than one.

Important links relating to AEDs and CPR:

 

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